Profound Waters
by Staradventure55
Summary: Taking place shortly after Greninja's Origins, the Chasers have stumbled upon a collaboration between the big name villains. Their objective is unknown and there are no leads toward an idea or theory. Attempting to balance their new investigation with their duty to protect the people while getting Greninja, a newcomer for both the Chasers and Smash prepared for the worst.
1. Prologue

Prologue: Unknown Gathering

Night ascended upon the battle torn beach of DK Island. Average wooden ships laid sill along the coastline. The usual winds associated with the wild jungle decided to sleep in. Stars rested within the skyward darkness with their guardian moon watched over the island. Within the jungle held the typical noises of these land's numerous predators hunting down their nightly dinner, undisturbed by the slightly smoking volcano. Another set of noise now joined the usually night sounds; an eventful celebration took place upon the beach and plentiful ships. An abundance of Kremlings stretched far along the beach, setting themselves around campfires with their pokemon companions joined in. A feast of great proportions took place; a variety of meats were prepared for the highly spirited creatures. Some groups set the mood with wooden guitars, drums, and a variety of other musical instruments. Many danced in unity, and some were the laugh of the bunch with their drunken version from over consumption of rum.

King K. Rool, the main attraction of the event, was an oversized crocodile still sporting his leather jacket and signature skull black belt. Joyously, he paraded around his underlings with a sole Master ball in hand. Kremlings around him held their own pokeballs high in a form of a toast. The Kremlings celebrated upon the ships, cheering down to their king for a overcoming a challenging feat. More Kremlings slowly marched from the dense jungle. Muddy hands dragged their recently deceased game toward the greedy crocs hungering for more food.

The night in a whole along with the cheerfulness of all the Kremlings came to a simultaneous halt from a loud crack piercing the sky. Nearby frightened birds headed for the skyward abyss. The constant noises came to a sudden silence, whispers along with the turning of heads came shortly afterward. Another sound identified as a gunshot prompted all their attention to the source. Floating out from amongst the darkened jungle came a winged alien-like being whose skin even when exposed to the fire's light remained cloaked in an eerie darkness more black than the night. The only shred of light came from its helmet-like head which radiated an eerie light blue glow in the form of a visor. This force of nature made the cheerfully warm atmosphere quickly turn dreadfully cold; its mere presence scared all the pokemon into submission as they backed away. Even Rool broke a sweat upon this creature's sudden arrival, but still attempted to keep his cool with his hand grasped firmly around handle of his loaded gun.

The being's shadow-like body began to collapse on itself, forming the shape of a human-like body. This fiend condensed itself into a solid entity; color slowly faded in with the body fully complete. Now consisted of a dark blue coloration with some darker patches, the darkness from before now merely acted as its aura prompted the flora around it to move intensely. The being seemed completely covered in armor; very smooth design in terms of plating. Upper body became thinner as it went downward, but the shoulders were very bulky with the chest protruding outward a bit. From where the waist started, a line went up the middle of the upper body before splitting off in a Y formation along with the two upper lines emitting a blue glow which indicated internal workings. One arm was normal with a five fingered hand, the other consisted of a small cannon instead. From its knee protruded spikes going upward similar to a knight. The head was designed like a helmet like before; no comforting eyes could be seen behind such dense blue lighting.

It stood there silent as the night. The Kremlings just stared with no intention to draw their blades. The pokemon as well seemingly lost the will to fight; many curled up in a ball beneath its gaze. Rool shook the stunned look off his face; a smile took fear's place. He attempted to speak the first words since no one else would.

"At ease lads…..at ease, believe these words of mine…..this demon wishes us no harm."

Rool looked around to see his words offered no comfort to the Kremlings; the profound darkness it produced made them deaf to such weak reasoning. Exhaling weakly, he shook his head to this absurdity. Stared at this silent being whom was unwilling to provide such comfort itself. Rool narrowed his eyes before attempting once more.

"Aye…..I believe the truth should have been told sooner. Lads…..gaze your eyes at the very maiden I have spoken of…..Dark Samus…..that be her name. She be sailing under the space pirate flag mates…..the same folk as you already know been scratching our back as well…,"

The being spoke in a hollow feminine tone. It's swift finger pointed in his direction caused a shiver to slither up Rool's spine, "Don't you dare categorize me on the same level as those….scavengers. Your reptiles are already hollow enough without you clouding it. Their leader and I are not….pals…..as your king would bluntly put it, we're hardly associates. What binds us together is simply one sole thing…..revenge, you be wise to mark those words in your heads…..for repeated mistakes of such nature about us will be taken as a method to make a fool of us…..and the punishment…..could be death…..and I speak for both of us."

Such words pierced their hearts, a chill went up every single croc's spine. Rool slowly lifted his hand upon his face upon seeing his underling's faces. He continued on in a low toned voice.

"Aye…..good to see you too, must I teach you how wenches actually introduce themselves before joining a rousing celebration. You be ruining the mood matey."

"First of all, I won't take too kindly to being addressed as….matey. Secondly, there isn't a machine within this very universe that could calculate how little I care for your meager…..celebration. I came to see you strictly for business, and don't pretend you're ignorant to such a fact."

"For the love of all that is good, you may not fully be like that reptile…..but you sure have a terrible temper I do say."

"For your sake….i'll take that as a compliment. Now for what they were promised."

Rool tossed the Master ball her way, grabbing onto it with one hand. The being stared at Rool for a moment before speaking.

"Is…..is this it? Is this all you so called killer crocs could muster…..a single pitiful pokemon. The dark lord spoke of you having a whole net of the!. Explain yourselves immediately!"

"Ran into some Chaser trouble; took the whole lot of em, but we…."

"I know of these….Chasers, but to lose the whole damn shipment, "Her aura grew more dense and larger. "How pathetic, to lose everything in a single attempt."

Rool now expressed anger with his narrowed eyes, his voice reaching a higher volume as he reached for his gun, "Now look here darkling, don't go roasting all my lads now….now that pokemon is….,"

"Oh don't even question it, I have full intention to kill all of you waste of carbon, "Blue tendrils encircled the ball, slowly cracked beneath her might. "As soon as this organic being shares your future fate."

"No….you blasted fool, think with your head why don't ye. That ain't no blasted common, you be holding a legend….a damn ruler of the sea you scallywag."

The tendrils slowly retracted, the mighty grip loosened along with her temper. She lifted the ball close to her face.

"Hmmm, a legendary…..pokemon you say. This is…..intriguing indeed. Reveal to me its name."

"Oy, now I got your ears. That be the legend that ruled the seas, the legend…..Kyogre."

"I see, that's worth more than the net of pokemon you previously claimed. If I had to guess….the space pirates will be pleased to experiment on this one."

"Aye, now what of me lads. Will the blounder be coming like we were promised?"

"Indeed, payment should come shortly….and perhaps weapons."

Rool leaped in the air with joy on his face, jumped around in a circle constantly yelling out his thoughts of approval. The other Kremlings clapped to the news, and the happiness their king showed off. Dark Samus merely shook her head before turning herself back for the darkness. For unknown reasons she halted her progress. She turning back to the singing king.

"How ignorant of me, crocodile, "Rool stopped his dancing. He turned his attention back to Dark Samus. "A message….from Ridley himself."

Dark Samus shot a light blue round at Rool's feet, prompting him to jump backwards out of shock where he fell straight on his back. The other Kremlings rushed to his aid, helping him back to his feet. Rool rubbed the back of his head. He shook a fist her way while growling.

"Foul woman, what was your just cause?"

"That's for not telling him about that Greninja; you think the spies foolish croc? They saw him on the roof well before reaching their objective."

"Oy, the toad be a twig. I figured the reptiles didn't need a warning."

"Hmph, well now they know. Regardless if it's strong or not, we must be more cautious than ever before. Our ideals….our vision will have us go to war against the Chasers….and possibly even the Smashers themselves."

"Aye, I know this to be true. It'll be worth it though, even if the method is the most unbelieve fairytale I have ever heard. You know of my wish, what of yours if a fella can be greedy?"

"Besides the fall of my rival…..my home….I want it back."

"A tall order, don't keep your hopes up."

"I rarely do, but for it to even be a possibility….we need more….participants."

"Aye, speaking of which….did you acquire that one man yet?"

"I recovered him, but turns out one of the Smashers killed him. I sent all i've found to the med lab on the the pirate's homeworld. They said it'll take more than robotics to resurrect the fool."

"Heh, well if those lads can muster up the equipment to do such a feat I hope he's as good as the two wenches we recently picked up."

"Ahhh yes, they are…..decent. I don't mind them, they respect my space as I respect theirs."

"Aye, glad you're up to making friends now. Fraid you wind up killing just about everyone. I too am impressed by their efforts, although I never caught their names."

"Well then….that's not my concern, if you want them…..ask the reptile."

"And whom would I ask for?"

"Ask for Syndicate…..and Black Widow."


	2. First Steps

Spotlight struggle: Championship Bout

Upon the rise of dawn, the sun revealed half of its entity from the horizon casting its reflective glow of its scarlet image amongst the darkened calm waters. Dolphins jumped from their home in unity to greet the morning, along with the sounds of clashing water came seagulls who seemed like mere shadows. Cumulonimbus clouds gathered around climbing to even greater heights as their plan to consume the sky remained futile due to their stationary status. As far as one could even hope to see, none of earth could be seen within the horizon. Only water remained as a familiarity.

A expected sight for such massive seas laid a sole ship whose size rivaled that of a cruise ship enjoyed by humans. Pieced together with an unknown material to man. Consisting of an ash coloration, several golden orbs dotted all over the towering vessel emitting a dense glow within the darkness. In rows and columns held double headed cannons strapped into place, a glass opening along the barrels held a celeste blue substance which flowed calmly within the barrel of these weapons. Upon this ship's surface held a lengthy mid-section that remained unusually bare for a ship, three poles reaching up high held a flag with a skull printed in the middle surrounded by darkness. Below amongst the deck held a violent brawl, the on board Kremlings kept their distance from the two engaged fighters who duked out in the very middle with swords in hands. The locked opponents were Greninja and the Kremling's fierce but seemingly highly respected king, King K. Rool sporting only a crown and a red cape. Instead of swords in hand in preparation to aid their captain, they swung up jogs of their rum yelling words of encouragement for their king.

A forceful holler came from the giant crocodile, forcing his sword crashing down upon the rivaling frog. Greninja crossed both water condensed swords over his head, such pressure propelled him to one knee. An abundance of sweat running down Greninja's face perfectly matched the excruciating amount of stress the body was experiencing beneath the croc's terrible might. Greninja's arms burned as if they themselves have lit on fire, only his will power saving him from certain death. Such constant life threatening clashes kept his mind off the sword wounds previously inflicted by this beast's unbelievably swift handle with a blade. At times his ignorance gave way to unwanted awareness each streak of red at the same time, the thoughts of such wounds still leaking his lifeblood only made his fight more exhausting. Their eyes met, the smirk written across the croc's face further destabilized Greninja's already shaken mental state. Seeing his enemy's fury in such a crazed state, Rool could no longer contain and began laughing with one hand on his hip.

"Lads…..feast your eyes on me ole manly figure, this is what the seas favor my dear lads…..the true heir to these waters, "A simply wave gesture with his free hand aroused the crew, some accidently spilling their drinks on the deck. Rool gazed his sight back to his struggling rival, putting on a wide smile in hopes of demoralizing him even further at the same time aiding his mood."And whatcha think….twig, you'd be the one whom claim domain of these seas with your powers. Sorry to say young chap, controlling the elements or not….ye no man….a mere tadpole."

Greninja was deaf to all his words, nothing he could address concerning his weakness could surpass the crime commited to his allies. Hung via rope around their waist held several severely injured pokemon upon the hooks of the ship's flag pole. The very ones he could friends: Infernape, Lopunny, Pikachu, Charizard, and Gardevoir all having shallow breathes. Streaks of red covered most of their bodies, inflicted by the very reptile that stood before him. One accidently glance at their motionless bodies resulted in even more anger to fester. He used all the strength he could possibly muster to push Rool's sword back to him, Rool taking the repel quite well as he maintained his devious smile. An energy he could muster, he propelled himself into the air swinging his left blade for his face. Keeping his ground without signs of stress even, Rool calmly lifted his sword to block. Continuing the assault, he swiftly attempted to strike his belly. Once more deflected by Rool's swift swordsmanship, upon seeing another strike in the works prepared a strike of his own. Greninja in mid strike met a retaliation from Rool's blade, a forcefully parry that loosened Greninja's grip, his sword swinging backwards nearly propelling a swift Kremling able to keep his jug in one peace. Rool covered his mouth with wide eyes.

"Ooooooo, ye better watch yo self toad….no lad should go cyclops cause of ye poor excuse for swordsmanship."

The nearly penetrated Kremling laughed off the incident, pointing his rum at the captain, "Oy sire, that be ye who can't control his own skill. Such a scrub this one is, yet ye going about giving it your all."

Rool clenched his hand, snickering loudly before losing it into a burst of laughter, "Aye lad, you'd be right on the dot there. I suppose I be needing a bottle of rum myself….a manly large and incharge figure has yet to become that of a seadog, such youth I still possess….why must I indeed overcompensate such a simple act infront of me loyal mates, "Rool held his hand out in front, slowly lowering along with a slow exhale. Such arrogance enraged Greninja, only his revenge pushing him forward despite his body giving up long ago. Grasping his remaining sword with both hands, he prepared to strike his vile heart with the beast looking toward the rising sun. Rool's voice was soft in tone. "Avast ye lads, feast your eyes on your newly reformed king. With me inside lad shipshape, i'll tone down the volume. Aye…..this be the time the mean ole fish be rising for their breakfast, what ya lads say we feed the fishes?"

With that came another round of loud hollers from Rool's servants, Rool held his hand close to his ear, "What….have I gone deaf, surely ya lads can offer me noise…..the blasted fish….let them know foods a comin."

Such command prompted an ear piercing wave of cheers sending the devilish croc into a lighthearted dance of him jumping back and forth on both feet. Any sense of logic severely crushed by Greninja's maxed aggression, taking the opportunity to strike the distracted croc he dashed toward him with the tip aimed for his heart. Rool reacted with surprising speed, unleashing swift strike with the power of a croc's tail. It tore through the katana like butter, using his free hand to grasp the weakened frog by the tongue pulling him up to his face. Rool merely shook his head, one because of how futile his attempts were and the the fact he proved to be a complete disappointment as a rival. His muscles drained of most of their energy, Greninja failed to even offer a token of resistance. Dangling like a lifeless corpse within his grasp, another glance of his dangling allies nearly matching his current status rapidly drained him of his overwhelming anger. His body went cold, a deep sadness washed over him when he accepted any fate Rool offered. Seeing Greninja's eyes dim, the fight leaving his body put a greater smile on his face. He tossed Greninja like a doll, delivering a swift slash across Greninja's chest in mid air. Greninja crashed onto the deck, squirming onto his sides to the immense pain now leaking more of his lifeblood. Instinctively attempting to cover his lengthy wound proved futile, watching droplets of blood run past his hands onto the deck below. His pain proved deeper with the fact that he couldn't scream, his voice was robbed from him.

Even with his whole being lackluster, one glance over to Gardevoir reminded him of the amount of effort she gave to aid with his rise to stardom. He owed it to her to go out giving it everything he had. Struggling to lift himself up to one knee, the frog attempted to summon one water katana. Moving from his palm at a slow rate, it formed a disfigured version of it only to fall to nothing more but a puddle. The ship was aroused by the failed attempt, especially Rool who almost fell over backwards laughing.

"Even the sea be done with ye, it understands ye not capable of controlling such an element. Lucky for ye i'm quite the giving person, "With a snap of his fingers, a sword flew from the crowd to Greninja. He simply stared at their offering as Rool fanned himself with his own sword. "A twig ye may be, but I know your type….don't grow this big without gaining knowledge that's for sure. A fight is how ye wanna go eh, then i'll grant ye such a wish….the very least I can do before your eternal journey. Hush now mates….huuusssssh…..the tadpole be needing time now to lift a man's sword."

The crowd's high energy rapidly went into silence, staring intently at Greninja. With the obligation he felt toward his allies, he summoned forth his remaining energy to grasp the sword with both stained hands. Slowly rising straight up, his legs slightly trembled from exhaustion with his arms almost numb. His mind only directed at the croc, a single step forward caused his recent injury to flare up with such intensity. Such pain put him back in a kneeling position, such a sight caused a wave of disappointed moaning across all the Kremlings with Rool merely waving in a way of disapproval. Seeing the futility of grasping his leaking injury, Greninja attempt to rise once more putting every Kremling in a state of silence. Numbing himself to everything else, he stood straight up with the sword facing his opponent. Intrigued by Greninja's spirit, Rool rubbed his chin nodding to his rival.

"A rather long twig ye be, if anything ye should be glad to go out like this. Funny, had we caught ye first…..could have shaped ye into something worthwhile…..perhaps could have became a man, "He shook his head shifting his sword toward his enemy. Knowing how fragile Greninja's body was, he knew this would be the last attack. "Go on then, give me your worse. As i'll give ye mine. To go the route of a….."

Greninja ran at a jogging pace with the sword over his head in an horizontal position. Rool maintained his posture, eyeing the approaching frog with all eyes on Rool. At a certain point, Rool dealt a humiliating blow by stomping one of the deck's planks. It went downward beneath his feet as the other side crashed directly into Greninja's chin, propelling Greninja through the air with the sword falling from his grasp. Upon hitting the ground he rolled backwards once before planting faceup motionless. Some of the Kremlings fell onto the floor laughing unable to control themselves, some spilling their rum as a result. Rool had to support himself with the sword impaled onto the deck to keep from falling over. Upon wiping a tear from his eye pulled the sword out, walking to his beaten rival.

"What in the…..in all my time….I have never gave witness to such a defeat, truly flawless. Oh sea gods…..help me….for that couldn't have been real, "Rool stood over his pathetic rival, the others crowding all around him patting him on the back. "Master balls…..pah…..we ain't no space pirates, sometimes nature requires a little muscle is all. Don't worry though, we'll send that Arceus of yours a picture of you defeated lot, sorry excuse for a god…..gets off its arse one time and gets caught…..ha. Now then…..to keep ye from getting any funny ideas, one more cut will suffice."

Rool's sword rose overhead, all eyes staring at its tip. entirely exhausted and worn out from anger, Greninja laid still unable to retaliate in the slightest. Acknowledging his uselessness, he accepted his fate regardless of what it may be.

"GRENINJA….., "The brute hollered his name one last time, the sword came crashing down. Upon it seemingly colliding, his vision within an instant faded out and back into another world as if shot out from the situation. The swift unexpected shift in views with the sudden renewal of his energy made his eyes and heart rate shoot up. What kneeled before him was Gardevoir holding onto his shoulders with both hands stricken with concern. "GRENINJA…..SNAP OUT OF IT!"

Her voice echoed throughout his head, the sensation was pretty painful as well being it was very booming and radical in nature which was something yet seen up until now. His dulled senses combined with his hazy memory made grasping the sudden scenario difficult, but relief washed over him to seeing his newfound ally unscathed. He found himself sitting on a wall in a darkened corridor, his ears harassed by constant cheering coming from behind the wall. He felt the sweat running down his head, blinking several times to refocus his sight. Gardevoir lowered her voice upon his recovery.

"I bid thee for an explanation, what befell within the unconscious?"

"I…..I…..I believe I was dreaming."

"What ill world did you partake in to cause such arousal, "She took her time in wiping away the sweat from his head. Greninja's heart rate slowly returned to normal, feeling pretty bad for worrying her over something as petty as a dream. "Thou had me afeard."

"I….i'm sorry Gardevoir, don't mind me. It's nothing…..really, just another childish dream of mine."

"Forbear thy dismissal at once, we're allies yes?"

"Of course we are, it's just that….."

"Then my purpose is to aid thee, an anchored ship goes nowhere. Discover what thy heavy dream was."

"It was….., "Remembering the face that made his body boil with anger, he clenched his fist gaining the worried look on Gardevoir's face again. Realising what he was doing, he regained his composure before revealing the name. "Ring Rool."

Her narrowed eyes showed the hatred she held for that name, occasionally twitches gave off the idea she had something harsh to say but held it back for his sake. She stroked the top of his head, calming him with a weak smile.

"I see, the dastard knave. Such an ill creature surely has undone thee. Never fear now, you've awakened in our life once more. I bid thou to hasten thy recover however, thy battle is anon."

She straightened herself out, walking down the corridor for Lucario positioned against a wall. Left to ponder what she mean't by a battle, his fogged memory cleared up revealing the meaning. Everything came back at once, he was to partake in an exhibition match against another smasher who like himself was a newcomer. He traveled to a popular location called New York, a heavily populated city now the major hotspot for smashing news and made their planet the fourth Earth-like planet to be classified according to what Gardevoir spoke of. It went by the name Fourth Earth, or PE-04 as written in their computers. His remembrance to entering the city for the first time proved rather shocking despite human interaction being the norm where he was.

The main issue beforehand was how alien pokemon were to their world, the concept of fire-breathing animals and tank-like beings didn't appeal too well with the United Nations. Somehow already had knowledge of such creatures, but the thought of their actual existence almost put them on to be biological weapons. Although the mass majority of the population saw these creatures as potential pets if done right, and there was an agreement to have smaller pokemon enter their world just for mere exposure. The Chasers got a call from this new world, asking for their newcomer to challenge their champion for promotional reasoning. Upon reaching the city, he was taken by the overwhelming populus with their large buildings Pikachu called skyscrapers. As expected he felt a little alienated by the eyes staring him down, the whispers of those he crossed at times mentioning his name.

Upon reaching his destination, the night has fallen over the city looking even more lively with an abundance of lights giving it charm. There in all its glory held the shockingly large stadium with its own plaza. Designed like the stadiums in Kalos, the exterior held a black metal with the roof seemingly filled in. The buildings around the stadium held large rectangular metal vertical boards One side hosting a bright portrayal of Greninja surrounded by a dark blue background being low to the ground with one hand holding him up, the other side consisted of his rival underneath a pink jacket sporting green boxing gloves with both arms tucked close to his face. A cement stairway filled with spectators went up to the entrance, above it held a rectangular sign in bold black lettering surrounded by fire reading Championship Bout.

The humans took a quick liking to him, he was no small pokemon but made an exception due to him being a smasher and being somewhat like a harmless frog of their world. He cracked a slight smile remembering all the photos people took of him on his way through the back entrance. He recalled his challenger needing a warm-up fight before facing him. He waited behind the entrance to the stadium, glancing over to the human glancing slightly over for a view of the fight. The darkened corridor slightly lightened by the faint ceiling lights. He conjured up his water katana for reassurance of his own powers, calmed with its solid figure. He was meditating in preparation until accidently falling asleep, although he still wished for some knowledge of his rival. Gazing over to the other two pokemon still chatting away on the side, Gardevoir saw him glancing over. A few more exchanged words and Lucario summoned a vortex, upon entering imploded out of existence. Greninja stood up to her approach, she was the first to speak.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry, didn't mean to disrupt your….."

"Fear not, it was nothing too important. If thou have a concern, now is the time."

"My rival…..know anything about him. I wish not to enter blindly ya know."

"According to my office, i'm to know all smashers to a certain degree. Little Mac be his name, thy rival. Born from the Bronx, he's seventeen of age wielding devastating prowess. Capable of obtaining as well as defending his title as boxing champion. Both thy speed rival one another, be wary gentle ninja….for thy strength is no equal."

"Champion…..boxing….., "During the days before the confusion took place, his nighttime robberies led him to an active gym ripped for pokepuff plundering. The gym's master went inside leaving their stash of pokepuffs in the care of her Lucario. The master's apparent rival was a young female human who went about synchronizing her punches with a Blaziken, speaking of boxing moves learned from her master. Crossing his arms as he pondered this more. "I've seen this…..before somewhere, this….boxing."

"Oh…..do tell?"

"Not much to go on….but….., "Understanding any human he saw as boxers could hardly compare to someone who apparently mastered the art. He shook his head dismissing the memory. "Forget it, the good news is I have a slight idea how he'll fight. Thank you again."

"Think nothing of it, it be my role."

The sudden arousal of the crowd of such magnitude caused his heart to skip a beat, his habit made him quite wary of humans. Never had entered into a stadium before with people, there was some stage fright within him. Thankfully the meditation from before despite the ill dream bore fruit, he kept himself calm and collected for the battle to come. Afterward came a loud bell ringing three times, the human overlooking the fight turned to him with an expressionless face.

"Start readying up rook."

With that said, Gardevoir crossed one arm to her chest bowing to Greninja, "I bid thee adieu, don't forget our next destination afterward."

"If I recall right, you mean my…..trophy. If we must, then you'll let me have my alone time?"

"If thou wish, be prepared for our call if trouble arises."

Jogging from the entrance came two humans in white uniforms with a red cross on their chest carrying a rather large man by the hands and feet, muscular tanned human whose bare upper body suffered a multitude of bruises. His bare head held several swollen patches with a black eye, moaning on his way down the corridor. The human walked after him, passing Greninja another set of words as he passed by.

"You're up."

Greninja took in a deep breathe, walking toward his next fight. He was blinded upon looking out to the stage, shielding his eyes with one hand. His presence made the audience cheer in such a profound manner, it was made very clear they were happy to see him which encouraged him. Once his eyes refocused, there he saw the entire stadium's interior. The audience sat in a darkened space, lighting up the place with their abundant camera flashes. Greninja proceeded down the bright red glass tiled walkway, spectators close enough to be recognized held posters of himself or Little Mac still sporting his pink jacket. Hovering over the square ring held a metal ceiling casting bright lights upon the field revealing his rival punching away at nothing. Four bursts of fire exploded upward around a colossal rectangular tv catching his attention, on the left held Greninja's profile surrounded by a red background with text reading Master of Stealth with the right consisting of this Little Mac's profile in a blue background with text saying from the Bronx.

Upon reaching the ring, jumped over the ropes onto the blue surface. Slightly bouncy, but didn't seem like a concern to him. There he saw the man of the hour, a rather short black haired muscular human with tanned skin. A no sleeved t-shirt with matching green shorts and boxing gloves. Sporting high black shoes with a multitude of strings. The crowd's energy dispersed throughout the atmosphere, but to Greninja his foe produced an aura that overshadowed theirs. Continuing to punch away at the air still unaware of his presence keeping a stern look on his face. Upon throwing a punch his way, his face lightened up as he straightened himself up. He seemed rather confused with a raised eyebrow, going up to Greninja eye up and down his whole body. Greninja didn't know whether to be insulted or puzzled, surely he heard of his kind before agreeing to this. Little Mac scratched himself on the head, speaking in a low tone voice.

"Ummmm…..your Gre….ninja…..right?"

Already understanding humans can't comprehend pokemon language, he merely crossed his arms and nodded. This was enough to lighten the mood, Little Mac smiled placing his gloves on his waist.

"Oh sweet, gotta say ya look pretty awesome for a frog ninja, "Greninja was thrilled by the compliment from a stranger, and embarrassed going about rubbing the back of his head spewing noises of glee. Mac too seemed embarrassed himself oddly, once again rubbing the side of his head while laughing slightly. "Sorry about the confusion, ya see….I wasn't much of a pokemon fan myself….no offense. Should've let my trainer go into detail about ya, been so damn eager to join Smash for a long time I went and just assumed ya was human….wooops. Between the chatta about a new pokemon and how crazy your name would be for a human…. shoulda have put two and two together."

He was enlightened to see an opponent that wasn't rotten hearted or questionable, such a joyful human reminded him of Pikachu's cheerfulness which was always a plus. He threw his hands in the air, shrugging off the thought hoping this would show a good message. Mac took the gesture well, speaking once more.

"Glad ya ain't easy to tick off, had enough of that during my rise. Although aggressive or not, i'm just thankful my retirement can be finally postponed. Now just so ya know, I never held back in a match…..and never will."

Greninja knew what he was trying to do, normally it would be enough to have him rethink. Both Gardevoir and Lucario offered up harsh training, remembering how Gardevoir's wired minions gave him no mercy and the mild resentment held against Lucario for just trying to dispatch him as quickly as possible without doing actual teaching gave him the idea how to view his opponents. Unlike those two, this human held a more calming mindset. Speaking of not holding back created respect instead of fear. Greninja maintained his posture showing no fear to his words, Mac saw through this to where his eyes narrowed.

"Ahhh, respect…..respect. Can't throw ya off your game that easily right, this will be a good fight."

Greninja favoring his rival decided to clasp his hands and bow out of respect, glancing up to see Mac although still smiling shaking his head.

"No offense….but that ain't how we do it in the bronx, "Mac extended out his glove, recalling how humans would go about bumping their fists in Kalos prompted Greninja to bump his fist with his rival. "Now ya gettin it, good luck to ya Greninja."

Greninja nodded in hopes of messaging the same comment, both backing away from one another to their own side of the ropes. Spooking Greninja came a thunderously exaggerative male voice originating from the massive speakers beside the tv.

"THE CHALLENGER…..LEAPING FROM KALOS, WEIGHING IN AT EIGHTY-EIGHT POUNDS…...GREEEENNNIIIINNNJJJAAA, "As expected the crowd went into a frenzy, some still holding up their posters of him. The announcer started up again. "AND THE DEFENDER AND CURRENT CHAMPION…...RISING FROM THE BRONX, WEIGHING ONE HUNDRED-SEVEN POUNDS…...LITTLE MMMMMAAAAAAC."

Greninja kept his eyes on Mac, slightly drowning out the intense cheering from the crowd. Little Mac did the same, tucking his arms close to his face while casually bouncing up and down. Greninja positioned himself low on the ground, one hand holding him up. Floating toward the middle of the stage came the grayish sphere known as Dreadzone, opening up with electricity sparking between the two halves revealing the blue mist inside. As the mist rapidly expanded across the field, Greninja reminded himself of the modified rules. This was to be two stocks with three minutes in between rounds. The announcer spoke again in his usually exaggerated manner.

"READY….," Both fighters tensed up, Mac spread out his feet having one fist little bit further than the other. The crowd died down a little, both fighters staring down one another. Although slightly nervous about his first legitimate match, wanting to make his homeland proud prompted him to put on an emotionless expression. "GOOOO."

Greninja darted toward his rival, forming water two mini water shurikens in both hands before launching them toward his head. Mac kept himself stationary, swiftly blocked all the shurikens with his gloves. Swaying his gloves to the side with the shurikens flying off, Greninja prepared another large shuriken where he threw it. Aiming for his neck, Mac darted forward leaning himself beneath the shuriken. Now within close proximity, Mac lead with a jab for his head. Upon contact, Greninja burst into a cloud of smoke. The force of his punch made the clouds disperse where Little Mac stood wide eyed at missing what he clearly saw hit. Right afterward, mac was struck across the face by a mid-air Greninja's leg from behind. Mac flew off the ground slightly before rolling across the arena, upon getting one one knee saw a shuriken closing in quickly. Mac bit down hard, forcing a punch to strike through the shuriken dispersing it with ease. Mac rose to his feet, rubbing his cheek slightly before taking up his stance once more.

Mac walked toward his rival with arms tucked close, respecting Mac's speed Greninja backed away while forming two water katanas. Within an instant, Mac blasted off in insane speed leaning close to the ground. Greninja's heart rate spiked, rapid thoughts coursing through his head on how to evade an assault moving faster than his katana's could form. Mac leaned upward with his left arm going in for Greninja's cheek, Greninja swiftly ducked his head ahead of time preparing to stab Mac in the abdomen. He glanced up at Mac, thrown off by his quick smile. Mac retreated his attacking arm before it could reach its intended target, crashing down with his left leg and propelling his further back arm. His swift uppercut collided with his rival's chin, such devastating force propelled him off his feet. Greninja shook his head rapidly, shaking off the impact. He flipped himself right side up, throwing mini shurikens during his descent. Mac swiftly shifted his whole body out of each shuriken's way. Greninja formed two water katanas upon landing, Mac closed the distance rapidly.

Mac threw a swift right hook for his face, Greninja ducked beneath it retaliating with a slash of his katana for his head. Mac merely leaned his upper body backwards continuing with his assault. Their assaults had them move around the arena a bit, Greninja began to sweat slightly with the constant pressure Mac provided. Having to constantly evade Mac's quick moves while also keeping on the offensive made him slightly deaf to the cheers of the audience. After Greninja managed to narrowly evade an uppercut, he burst into a cloud of smoke. Still not used to such a move, Mac's face tensed in pain from a slash across his back. Mac's wide eyes looked to his left behind him to see the back of Greninja still wielding the katanas currently in a spinning motion, once both their eyes met Mac sent his right arm flying around to meet Greninja's turning face. Upon seeing this, Greninja lowered his body evading the attack while kicking Mac's legs from beneath him. Mac fell on his back, quickly gaining sight on Greninja and trying to trip him as well with his arm. Greninja leaped over the attempt, throwing both katana's above him before crashing them into his chest. His eyes shot wide open, leaning upwards to see the katanas piercing him with small amounts of air leaving his mouth in disbelief.

Greninja jumped off of his downed rival, landing on the arena's ropes. Instead of continuing his assault, he wished to give Mac a chance to absorb what he had just experienced. Knowing exactly how he felt having dealt a similar blow to Infernape out of anger, having both fear and confusion come at the same time. He knew his rival knew little about Dreadzone's effects, taking advantage of such ignorance to important information was vital outside of such recorded fights but in this scenario felt like a slap to his own skill. Mac slowly made his way up to his feet, still gazing down on the katanas. His face still expressed worry, but wasn't panicking to the situation either.

"S…..so…...this is what gettin stab…..feels like….., "He grabbed onto one of them, slowly pulling it from himself. What remained was a white mark that closed in on itself, seemingly healing Mac and repairing his clothing. Upon pulling out the other sword, he rubbed the injured area until the last white mark closed in on itself. "Goddamn, that was no joke…..felt…..too damn real. So that's what he meant by a safe environment. Yo fro…..Greninja I mean, is your powers cause of this….Dread….whatyamacallit?"

Greninja shook his head, Mac rubbing both sides of his head in deep thought. Soon afterwards, he slammed both his gloves together seemingly in a good mood.

"Alright then…..think I get it know…..this Dread thing, ya can't die or lose body parts. Pardon my ignorance to your kind again, my trainer spoke of some hocus pocus nonsense with the Dread. Yo a pokemon, so ya gonna be doing some crazy things…..not quite typical for a frog. Now then….. "Greninja leaped from the ropes, dashing toward Mac throwing several mini water shurikens. Mac took two steps toward him, slamming his right foot into the ground with his left arm flying forward. Instead of blocking he powered through the shurikens striking his body. Greninja's heart rate spiked seeing him just take the hits, his legs came to a complete halt. He saw himself slide right where Mac wanted him, crossing his arms in front of him where Mac's punch struck with such force it pushed Greninja back to the ropes accompanied by a lingering sting. "Hit me with ya best shot!"

Now having no excuses, Greninja took the opportunity to think of their percentage. A orange sixty-one percent showed over Mac's head while a whitish twenty-five percent showed for himself from his chest. Greninja kept his excitement inside, maintain his emotionless expression. To Greninja's surprise, Mac took a running start before leaping through the air reeling back his attacking. Greninja swiftly dashed forward, sliding beneath the attack. Even being a failed attempt, the punch generated enough force to cause a visible air current going along his fist. Greninja thought back to the first punch dealt to him, to have done twenty-five percent put some fear into him. Nearing the end of his slide, Greninja leaped off the ground slightly flinging three water shurikens at Mac. Upon turning around, Mac sidestepped completely out of their way making his way toward his watery rival.

Upon reaching close proximity, Greninja went about launching of few of his own punches. He struck Mac's constant guard, failing to even budge Mac. Mac retaliated with a jab which Greninja simply leaned his head slightly to evade, swiftly retreating his arm for his right to go for a right hook with Greninja starting to duck ahead of time. Mac halted his attack halfway launching his other other arm in the form of a jab right into his face. Greninja's face shot backwards, Mac taking the stunned rival as an opportunity to force two more swift blows into his rival's abdomen. Greninja upper body shot downward in reaction to Mac's powerful blows with his eyes wide open. Mac propelled even more punches all across his body, becoming increasingly faster as he did. Greninja's body was hammered by incredibly swift but devastating punches from Mac. Mac face tensed up, eventually yelling as loud as he could as his punches reached a speed where they produced afterimages. Such blinding speed made Greninja think with the few milliseconds he could see Mac without getting punched in the face that Mac grew more arms somehow. If it was to be believe that Mac was a mere human, such speed was inconceivable to him. It finally came a question to where was he even human considering all things. One finally uppercut sent Greninja soaring high through the air out the ring. Greninja crashed face first onto the metal plating just outside the arena and luckily not near Dreadzone.

Greninja slowly made his way onto one knee, his brain unable to focus on one of many profound pains all across his frontal body. While taking the moment to gather his breath, being out of combat made the cheers of the audience more noticeable. In the middle of the arena stood Little Mac, his smile clearly expressing his opinion of his performance while constantly bouncing his body up and down. A quick thought of doubt passed through his mind, prompting a similar feeling in his most recent dream. Although referring back to his dream only brought up Rool, and the emotions associated with it. With the sudden surge of anger coursing through him, he disregarded his injuries entirely. He spontaneously leaped high over the arena, landing a few feet away from Mac. The sight of Greninja standing straight up with crossed arms despite the beating he took prompted Mac to take a step backwards out of respect.

"Like I said before, nothin will be throwing off your game. These people came for a real damn fight, we don't need anymore more Glass Joes now."

Greninja burst into a cloud of smoke, prompting Mac to shift his body with such force he slid as he turned. He lowered his body reeling his arm back. As he expected, his rival attempted to kick him on the sides. Greninja's attack missed completely, Mac propelled his arm straight into his rival's chin. The uppercut sent Greninja flying at high speeds above the arena. Greninja hardly had enough time to process the pain before hitting the virtual prison that was Dreadzone, his chest radiated a bright light before his whole body detonated into a bright light. The crowd went wild, pictures now being taken in higher frequency with Mac throwing both arms into the air. A machine shaped like a platform in a dark blue coloration warped into existence over the arena carrying Greninja. He jumped down to resume the fight, shaking off the effects of rebirth. Upon seeing his rival, Mac quickly went back to his stance.

Greninja started off forming a large water shuriken in each hand, jumping further back before launching them to the sides. Mac wore a sinister grin, dashing toward Greninja.

"Those things can't stop the Mac train."

He was seemingly going to go between them, both shurikens curve hard right into Mac. One spins into the chest while the other cuts through the waist. Like a buzzsaw, they both continued going while rapidly tearing their way through Macs mass at a slow rate. Both shurikens pick up the pace, darting through Mac while leaving white glowing entry points. The shurikens' exit sent Mac flying out of the arena, still able to avoid falling near Dreadzone. Acting quicker than Greninja before, he grabbed onto the ropes pulling himself up and through the open holes. The previous injuries healed themselves, leaving a wide eyed Mac seemingly confused.

"Don't get cocky kid! "A male voice grabbed the attention of Mac, turning toward the audience right at the edge of the arena just outside of Dreadzone. A very dark skinned man clearly taller than Mac sporting a red jacket and blue pants waved to Mac. His most apparent feature was the large amount of mass on his mid-section, and the towel around his neck. "That's how ya lose it all."

Mac rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, his eyes narrowed to rapid footsteps approaching from behind. Mac turned to face the incoming frog who already closed the distance, he delivered a quick jab to the head where Greninja exploded once more into smoke. Little stomped the ground hard, as he turned reeled his one arm back. The arm flew forward where it met nothing. Before Mac could question anything, Greninja flew through the smoke with his leg extended. The kick struck his back like a bullet, forcing Mac off his feet and once again away from the arena. This time Mac's body slightly touched the Dreadzone, his chest radiated a bright light where he subsequently detonating before he could touch the ground. Greninja leaned his chest along the ropes, thankful for the odds being balanced. He also held some appreciation for the audience showing equal love for his victory with their cheers.

Greninja heard the sounds of the machine bringing Mac back, walked over to the middle where Mac landed safely. Greninja expected some irritation or worry, but to his surprise Mac laughed off the whole ordeal.

"You're good for a beginner…..great even, glad to see pokemon can be just as smart and even smarter than humans. Ya have no idea how many people i've fought who just refused to learn from their patterns. but you…."Mac gave a non-hostile jab at Greninja's arm. "Ya learning quite fast. I'll admit though, this Dread business is not comforting in the slightest…..going to take me a while to get used to it. Matter of fact, my game is slightly off…..keep on forgettin that I go flying when dealt a hard blow. Anyway, time to get back to business."

Greninja agreed, both backing up to their own sides of the arena. After three seconds go by the two dart off hitting their max speed almost instantly. In one hand Greninja began to form a water pulse. Heeding the words of his trainer, upon reaching punching distance he hit the brakes while bringing up his guard. Greninja slammed the pulse into his rival's gloves, shortly afterward exploded into a gray smoke. In an instant a powerful force caused the smoke to dissipate, revealing the two in a power struggle. Greninja left arm kept Mac's right hook at bay while Mac used his remaining hand to grab onto his rival's arm that wielded a katana only inches away from his neck. They both jump away from each other, Greninja threw his katana in a straight line with deadly precision. Mac swiftly forced a jab into the blade's tip, destroying it in the process. Before they could resume, a loud bell got both their attention. Greninja became startled from Dreadzone retracting as if the match had been won. He gazed over to Mac who seemed unbothered by this sudden event. It clicked to him that the three minutes expired, it was a transition between rounds. Both fighters went to their own respective sides of the rope, Gardevoir teleported behind Greninja from below. He leaned against the rope, looking down upon her.

"Thy match is faring pretty well."

"I suppose…..but this man…..he isn't natural, I mean….."

"Hmmm, what ails thee?"

"Back in Kalos, I saw abnormal humans during the night….using powers quite similar to yours. I called them super humans, but here…..you said there wasn't such a thing here."

"He isn't of the supernatural, but a very athletic human whom went beyond the normal limits of man."

"I see, to be honest I think we both underestimated one another."

"Methinks that's the case. I also believe thou are still in need of work."

"Can we save the critique after the battle."

"To speak of success as well as failures is the path of growth."

"Whatever, we're both pretty aware of our moves by now. This stock won't take three whole minutes."

"I certainly hope not, the princess expects us during her planet's morn."

Greninja gazed toward his rival, Mac as expected conversing with the dark skinned human whom he assumed was his trainer. Three more minutes are allowed to pass before the bell sounded off once again. Gardevoir teleported out of view with Mac's trainer going back behind the barricades. Dreadzone hovered above the arena again, opening up with the mist spreading as far as before. When the field was complete, both fighters wasted no time charging at one another with Greninja forming one water katana. Mac was the first to throw a jab, Greninja hastily leaped a short distance onto his glove. He instantly leaped straight past Mac delivering a quick slash across his neck, upon hitting the ground slid himself back around facing Mac. Mac merely patted his injury, looking back to the sight of a katana flying straight at him. Noticing it too late, it impaled itself into his chest. He immediately torn it from himself, showing no further concern for his injuries.

Greninja proceeded to send mini water shurikens his way, Mac made dashes in short burst evading the shurikens while also closing the distance. He struck his rival's head with a swift jab, the second attempt failed with Greninja ducking beneath it. Mac quickly resorted to an uppercut, Greninja barely reacted fast enough to lean backwards as the punch grazed his chin. He allowed himself to start falling, catching himself with his hands performing a backflip as his one foot collided onto Mac's chin. Mac staggered backwards only for a small amount of time, his tensed eyes trained solely on Greninja. Greninja closed the distance lifting his leg up for a straight kick, unfortunately striking on Mac's gloves. He shoved his leg aside, going in for a left hook for the body. Greninja leaped on one foot to the side, the fist barely missing his body. Mac once again went on an aggressive offensive, constantly throwing out jabs prompting Greninja to continuously back up evading them as he went. Finally Mac landed a jab into his rival's abdomen, flying backwards crashing onto his back. He leaned up to the sight of Mac reeling his arm back, red fire erupted around his fist growing even more intense as time passed. Greninja hurried to his feet, staggering back against the rope.

Mac took one heavy step forward, propelling his fist toward Greninja with such force it carried Mac's still body to its target. Seeing the attack closing in rapidly, feeling the ropes behind him gave Greninja an idea to counter. He leaped a short distance performing a backflip while quickly grasping the rope. Mac's punch barely missed going through the ropes, the heat it produced stung Greninja's hands. Greninja immediately allowed his body to fall down and through the ropes feet first, crashing his feet directly into Mac's face. Mac flew roughly landing on his back right in the middle of the stage, Greninja released the rope using the momentum to send him through the air. Conjuring up two water katana's, he pierced Mac's chest as he landed on his chest. Jumping off swiftly pulling the katana's from his foe, throwing them at his downed rival with deadly accuracy. Mac attempted to get up only to be forced back to the ground by two katanas hitting his shoulders.

Watching Mac tear the katanas out, he wondered why his opponent was easier to punish. Now it seemed as if Mac held little concern of avoiding his attacks, could've been he was getting exhausted. Could have also been what Gardevoir had mentioned during one of the training sessions, when an opponent got too anxious in trying to hit their enemy they forget to actually fight. This concept made no sense to him at the beginning, thinking how trying to assault someone is already fighting. Now it made more sense, and he had no problem taking advantage of this type of ignorance. He dashed toward Mac when he got to his feet finally. A quick smirk from Mac gave him an idea of his next attack. Mac made a short burst dash to close the distance with his one arm going behind him, his fist rushed toward Greninja's body while emitting a blazing red fire. Greninja burst into a cloud of smoke before it could make contact, the force behind the uppercut as usually caused the cloud to disperse revealing an airborne Greninja performing a downward slash upon Mac's back.

Before Mac could get the chance to fly off, Greninja's tongue grasped his leg slamming him back down. An enraged Mac scrambled to his feet, lifting his arm high over him in hopes of ramming into his rival's head. Greninja darted right behind him as Mac struck the ground emitting a vibration across the entire ring. Seeing the frog behind him with crossed arms enraged him even more, attempting another uppercut. This time the attack connected, but once again caused Greninja to explode into smoke. Half the smoke dispersed with Mac swinging his arm around in three hundred sixty degrees. From the smoke below came Greninja's foot colliding into Mac's chin, somehow Greninja gained enough momentum to propel himself high in the air with Mac flying directly in front of him. Before they could start to descend, Greninja used his one katana to slash Mac across the chest causing him to fly out of the arena and into Dreadzone. With the winning explosion came a explosive cheer from the audience with only pictures of Greninja waving wildly as far as he could see. Upon landing on the ring, he fell straight on his back in relief. The exaggerated male spoke up once more.

"AND THE WINNER IS….GRENINJA!"

With the fight finally over, he could hear his name constantly being screamed much more clearly. Happiness swept over his entire being, despite being winded. Mac came back into existence from the machine, upon him landing the Dreadzone retracted. With his energy now renewed from the Dreadzone, he got up to greet his foe. Little Mac seemed to take the loss well, smiling with slight embarrassment.

"Alright…...alright, ya got me. Boy, i've never fought anything as quick as you. Guess i'm going to have to train harder than ever now huh, "Mac playfully took a jab at Greninja's shoulder. "Ya should know i'll be remembering this, i'll be hitting ya up for a rematch when I feel up to it. Until then, keep training to be the very best cause ya know I will."

Mac held out his fist again, recalling last time he bumped his fist into his glove. They gave one finally nod before heading off to their own trainers. Greninja leaped from the arena where Gardevoir waited for him on the glass walkway. On their way up, Gardevoir lowered the sounds around him so he could concentrate on her voice.

"Well done Greninja, fine work for a rookie."

"Thanks, I guess your training did help out…..even if it is overly rough."

"Without pain, there is no gain. Thou hardship granted thee a marvellous beautiful fan."

"A fan…...this I gotta see."

The audience began to die down, leaving their seats to sleep in for the night. Upon reaching the back of the entrance, within the corridor held a rather tall female human whose mere presence gave Greninja a warm feeling. The only part of her body that showed skin really was her head, revealing her flawless olive coloration. Her long well kept blonde hair went past her shoulders, a spiked golden crown sat upon the very middle of her head containing exotic gems like rubies and sapphires. She sported a vibrant pink dress with darker shades on the sides that really complimented her physique. It did a good job covering most of her body to where you could only make out the red high heels she wore, short puffy sleeves added to her charm. To make up for the lack of sleeves, she wore pure white gloves that stretched to her elbows. Her large earrings along with her innocent eyes held a gorgeous blue coloration holding a similar shade to his shurikens. He wasn't attracted to humans, but being by her side more often didn't cross him as a bad idea. She was kneeling down to pet her pokemon if he had to guess, such a creature was an Espeon.

As far as he knew, it was a psychic type pokemon. Fur consisted of a fine lilac coloration, having slender legs and dainty paws. It stared up at its trainer with dark purple eyes wielding bright white pupils. Along with the tufts of hair near the eyes, a red gem remained on its forehead and a tail that split off into two.

Espeon gazed over to the two, Greninja specifically prompting this woman to see what caught its attention. Upon seeing them, her eyes widen with delight. She rose to her feet, clasping her hands together wearing a heart warming smile on her face.

"I get to finally meet in person, wow…..you look even more adorable in person, "She chuckled to herself, she grabbed both ends of her dress pulling them up slightly while lowering her head. "I'm honored to be the first Smasher to welcome you to smash, and the first to see your first match fare so well."

Greninja now excited swiftly clasped his hands together, bowing down speaking futile words, "Oh please your grace, the pleasure be all mine, " He gazed up slightly to see the woman unfazed by his words, understanding what the issue was. "Oh…...right."

Gardevoir merely chuckled, placing one hand above her mouth to prevent the burst of laughter from coming out which embarrassed Greninja a great deal. Gardevoir spoke up.

"Thou stand among the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, Princess Peach."

"Pleasure to meet your acquaintance….. , the Chasers are lucky to have you."


	3. Signs of Peril

Loyalty's revival: Dark Arts

The morning sun shined all across the grasslands of Hyrule, casting an orange haze upon the cloudless sky accompanied by the cool breeze. Scattered across this land held a multitude of villages, some larger than others. Although upon first glance may appear to be a peaceful world is actually home to dangerous beast-like creatures that took delight in ransacking the poor villages. Although the grassland's crown jewel, the beacon of peace that roaming monsters would be best to avoid was Hyrule castle.

A thriving kingdom populated by Hylians, an evolved version of humans whose only difference is their longer pointed ears. A well off area of simply means, guarded by two separate gray stone walls. A wooden bridge connected them acting as an entrance to the plaza. Merchants and shopkeepers took the time to restock their supplies of beautiful flora or tantalizing foods with the streets still somewhat barren. Cats and dogs took the empty streets as an opportunity to con bits of food from shopkeepers with their innocence before their masters rise. Within the plaza with four ways of entries characterized by its circular shape and large fountain constantly spewing pure clear water held four guards sleeping against the walls leading to the castle sporting gray armor with the hyrule symbol imprinted on their chest.

The heart of Hyrule laid the castle, rising higher than any other building among the townsfolk. Consisting of the same stone material, it pierced the sky with its multitude of spires. The tower-like structures went far behind the castle itself indicating the interior was massive. The name however was always associated with misfortunates and deja vu, making everybody who visited such a place become very cautious.

A group of five Federation troopers led by the Chasers Gardevoir and Lucario went about escorting Princess Peach across the fields of Hyrule for business reasons. Upon reaching the town, they were kindly greeted by the guards before being lead to an unknown area where they would have to wait for their queen to arise. For the time being they were to be fed by the queen's orders. Their waiting area was shockingly large, enough space to create an echo throughout the chamber. Closed off from the light outside, they compensated with lit candles scattered all over the room on different elevated platforms stuck on the walls. Although large chandeliers hung along the roof, they remained lightless. Tiled square floor consisting of stone remained well kepted as usually. Within the middle of this room sat a long table covered up with a white sheet, three four headed candles went straight down with some decent spacing in between. An abundance of hard wood chairs neatly positioned against the table with the interior that supported your back and lower body was made of a soft blue material.

The castle's servants came through the large doors with plates of steaming food in the form of liquids and solids. The troopers quickly removed their helmets, wasting no time eating the offerings. Lucario along with the other males ate at a rather fast pace while still minding their manners, Peach and Gardevoir took their time consuming their portions with Espeon eating the bits Peach oftenly tore off for her. When all that remained was bits of devoured foods, five minutes went by before the creaking of the door gained their attention. Peach's usually positive expression grew much more peachy with the arrival of their host, the princess of Hyrule.

Fairly olived skinned Hylian woman whom was slightly taller than Peach. This brunette held long hair with two narrow tails going in the front. Her eyes may have had the same color as Peach, but they were not nearly as welcoming and in a darker shade. Her dress went all the way down to the floor, upper portion consisted of a purple coloration. It split down the middle wielding a white coloration all the way down the rest of the lower body. Golden armor shoulders along with an ornament slightly above her modest breasts. Her arms completely covered up by white gloves, holding some type of still object. Walking beside her was another pokemon known as Umbreon. Taking a similar shape of Espeon, instead having black fur and one bushy tail. Red eyes with a black pupil, yellow circles imprinted on: legs, face, ears, and tail. She approached with her usually emotionless expression, although standing straight up her dimmed eyes showed she struggled a bit doing so. Peach rose from her chair, supporting herself with both arms speaking in her enthusiastic tone whose echo spread across the entire room.

"Why good morning Zelda!"

Everybody else cringed to the discomfort it caused for her, striking her like a bullet it prompted her eyes to shut from the world attempting to give herself some relief with her fingers rubbing her forehead. She spoke in a low calm voice.

"Please…..indoor voice, I just woke up…..can't handle the echo."

Peach slouched back in her seat slowly narrowing her eyes, she proceeded to poke her fingers together," I….I…..i'm sorry."

"Don't be…...for it is I who stood up too late for your arrival, i'm the one to blame."

Gardevoir felt sorry for the woman, having been in her position before and being the cause of her late night, "Milady, thy health is critical if thou means to maintain order. Thou getting ill sleep will surely have thee undone, perchance thou shouldn't craft to the point of exhaustion merely for our sake."

She cracked a weak smile, "My dear Gardevoir, your compassion for me never fails to lift my spirits. Although I must insist, this is my craft…..a skill I take pride in. Yesterday I claimed I would be done the replica by morrow's rising, and i'm willing to put in the extra hour to see it through."

She seated herself at the far end away from the others, holding out the object she possessed on her palm. A flawless statue mimicking Greninja's being, from the perfect shade of blue to the exact shape of every body part. Perfectly capturing Greninja's signature pose, Greninja kneeling down placing one webbed hand on the ground with the other behind him. His tongue covered his mouth, going outward in the air. His posture remained on a golden material taking the shape of a circular platform. Mesmerized by her newest handiwork possessing not one missing detail, Zelda happily stared at the statue features twisting and turning it all around for all eyes.

"Every hour…...every minute is precious time, to be used fully or not at all. More than statues, a photo of what makes a person who they are. To view his being from the land of wonders, I made it a mission to bring that pose into reality. To know so little about this creature yet experience his mindset in some way. In the making, I felt the feelings of a ninja…..the mindset of stealth and their art of killing. To become one with the person is the step towards perfection."

Gardevoir wished nothing more but to see Zelda feel absolutely content by her usually excellent craftsmanship, although her newest art's perfection threatened to keep her lowered eyes along with her occasional smile captive. Surrounding the trophy in a white aura, she levitated it from her possession releasing her from that self-hypnosis state. Realizing what became of her, she retreated her hand instantly. Folding her hands upon her lap, she gazed down upon the empty silver plate in front of her with slight embarrassment haunting her mind. With the trophy coming in hand came the guilt of taking away her prolonged sense of accomplishment. To absolve them both of these emotions, Gardevoir straightened herself out putting on her comforting face.

"I promise thou newest art shalt be delivered presently upon his arrival."

"Speaking of arrival, where is the guest of honor? I awaited his being here, to see if my craft remains true to his form."

"Don't misunderstand his purpose, an office he owes to his training as a Smasher. I was informed of his progressive performance by Lopunny, peradventure he approaches thy domain as we speak."

"I see, his presence will surely give rise to good cheers."

"Hmmm, ill times milady?"

"I expected such news from you truthly. I suppose lady Peach has already been informed?"

Peach was drawn from her own world, heading shooting straight up. Sitting herself up quite like Zelda, she gazed over to her with a blank expression speaking in a mellow tone.

"Ill…..times? You mean bad right, no…..this would be the first i've heard of it."

"In any case, please speak."

Lucario supported his head with one arm on the table, his tone expressing slight annoyance, "I have a feeling you know one of the pains already, don't you?"

Zelda's eyes closed fully shut, her voice expressing some hesitance, "You speak of Ganondorf, is that correct?"

"Look here, we're always welcoming of challenges when it comes to the status quo…..or at the very least very polite with our denials. Ganondorf however is…..well…..freakin Ganondorf, I don't need to go into detail on what kind of thorn he his in our arses."

Gardevoir's head directed itself sharply towards Lucario, eyes beaming right into his being where he felt the gaze and turned casually over to her, "LUCARIO…...LANGUAGE."

"Oh don't give me that, he's nothing more but evil incarnated. How can I have shame for telling them how it is, not like she holds anymore respect for him than I do, "Leaning further into his chair, he threw his arms behind his head as support. He gazed over to Zelda. "His arrogance would never allow him to fight some unworthy opponent who wasn't even in Smash yet, he's no redeemer…..and we all know it."

"I cannot deny you that claim, not one day passes that his existence doesn't send a chill through Hyrule. Although his recent attitude has been…...concerning."

"Care to share?"

"My concern began when I caught wind of his approach for my domain, of course I went about to confront him along with my new captain. His usually craving for bloodlust wasn't there, compared to the past his mannerisms were…..adequate. He simply wished to spar with your Greninja…..and simply left…..not one menacing glance."

"And what of the captain, how bad was Ganon's…..newfound mannerisms?"

"Came with no sword in hand, merely nodding at him. At that point they normally go at it like dogs, but he was unmoved by his hatred along with my questioning."

Lucario maintained his carefree posture, but an internal conflict aroused within him. An abnormal mixture of satisfaction, doubt, and the creeping thought of future chaos. Sensing the distress emitting from her master, the concerned Umbreon leaped onto Zelda's lap earning a surprised stare. It stood up on two supporting itself with paws on her chest providing itself as comfort. Understanding her intent, she stroked Umbreon's back.

"Ah, so you've noticed. Don't fret my dear, for I am at peace."

Peach tapped her chin with one finger in deep thought, a sudden realization had her in a short burst of giggles, "Could it be…..the emo knight himself has suffered too many defeats, I do say….I think he's trying to make friends."

"I doubt it, he isn't of the sort to make amends."

"Not from where i'm standing, poor Ganon…..being that much of a gloom surely made him a lonely person. I think we should invite him for our next tennis session, wouldn't that be great?"

An unintentional and swift thought of Ganondorf in tennis attire froze Zelda as if she became one of her arts. She forced her head up, aggressively fighting back the thought. Her mouth was in a constant battle between a forcefully smile and absolute disgust. The innocence radiating off of Peach despite possible running that chilling thought through her head one hundred times already prompted the smile to shine through despite the ongoing struggle.

"I…..I believe la….lady Da...Daisy wo...would hold objec…tion to the idea, ma….master Ma….Mario especially."

Lucario intervened, "And what of the loss?"

Zelda shook off her internal conflict, giving off her usual blank expression, "Pretty well actually, he can't stand losing to his rival least of all a mere candidate. He spoke of his abilities and form…..leaving without lifting his blade once. Very strange it was, left me puzzled the rest of that day. Although his unusually behavior…..I don't see the need of alarm, why so curious?"

"The Kremlings have been getting more bold with their raids, and recently discovered their collaboration with the space pirates."

"Oh heavens, the space pirates are involved. Lay to me their plans, do they intend harm to Hyrule?"

"Calm down, they seemed more interested in pokemon which is our worry. As far as their plans go…..we're still in the dark, "He glanced over to Peach. "Since you're here, care to share with us what is going on with Bowser of late?"

"Well…..i'm sorry, but he hasn't tried anything yet so i'm no help at the moment. Knowing him it won't be too long now."

"Regardless, we need eyes on your kingdoms for a brief period of time."

Gardevoir spoke up, "Rogue squadrons shalt survey Ganondorf's actions if spotted, what he does beyond Hyrule will be unknown. They'll also serve as thy invisible barrier, preventing the success of enemy cloaks."

"If you find it necessary, then I shall permit their being here."

"Thou have my thanks, mila…"

Grasping all their attention simultaneously, a Hylian guard came bursting through the doors. Resting his hands upon his knees, taking rapid breathes as if about to fall over. Although alarmed, Zelda maintained her composure addressing the exhausted man.

"What ails you soldier?"

"Trou…...trouble in the square your grace, a sole creature committing mischief."

She grasped her head, attempting to hide the irritation growing within her,"Then why must you come to my chambers for such small matters, have the guards do their jobs."

"Alas, we're sending our spears at him as we speak. This slippery devil is more than we can handle, permission to call the captain?"

"Granted."

He clumsily bowed, rushing off allowing the door to slam shut. Gardevoir spoke up.

"Perchance we can provide aid."

"Nay, he would've addressed a real problem by some name. Most likely a Moblin again, something they should be more than capable of handling. Please…..continue with your observations."

A decent guess considering the circumstance, unknown to them the problem only continued to worsen. Within the town square, the townsfolk kept their distance observing the guards combating Greninja. Several guards already remained on the ground unconscious, being dragged from the danger zone by approaching guards. Remaining wary of their new enemy, they slowly approached him on both sides of the fountain crushing the wooden spears dropped by the fallen. Greninja kept his back to the castle entrance, remaining blocked by two guards.

Faint patches of black ash painted across his hands, he viewed the soldiers making severals steps forward before making several steps back. Despite being surrounded, he felt little need to assume his battle stance. Conflicted as to why he was viewed as an enemy on every step of his journey here, annoyed by the persistent beasts taking pot shots at him until forcing them to succumb to the shocking screams of the people alerting the guards. Although severely wounding the innocent was out the question, he be damned to suffer a single blow to prove his kind nature. Everybody sat in silence, waiting for the first move to be made.

A sole guard made the first move, recklessly charging him with his spear. Leaning out of the way at the last second, he grasped the spear's mid-section throwing his foot high behind him arching it toward the aggressor's face. Upon impact, he lost his grip. Grabbing the spear with both hands he broke it apart with his knee, jumping up to deliver a swift horizontal kick across his foe's face. Losing another one of their men, they all stepped back to Greninja's annoyance. More citizens gathered around the walkways, blocking the easiest escape routes. He held no fear towards these aggressors, his toned hearing capturing every footstep and whisper echoing through the silent air. .

"Easy now lads, "One of the guards attempted to rise moral throughout the right group, slowly shuffling his way to the front of his comrades. "The goddess be with us."

Greninja remained too fixated on this soldier, he barely caught on to leather boots rapidly approaching from behind. With a slight turn of the head, the edge of his eye caught sight of a metal spear closing in quickly. With precise timing on his side, he performed a backflip over the guard just at the tip was about to connect. Grasping the man's head, he forced him crashing toward the ground. His spirit still intact, the guard still attempted to reach for Greninja with his bare hand. Harshly denied by a forceful stomp to his head sending him unconscious, leaning over the human with crossed arms upon his knees. One soldier from each side gained the courage to strike, hollering with their approach. Forming a water katana in each hand, Greninja first closed the distance against the sword wielder. With the intent to kill, the guard's iron clashed with the hardened water. Little difficulty was there in holding the man at bay with one arm, noticing the other guard nearing striking distance. Lifting his left leg up high, he stomped the spear out of his way. The free katana slashed the spear in half, punishing with a swift kick to his face. The guard stumbled backwards clutching his face, Greninja utilizing both swords to thrust the man away. With the sword to his sides, he sprinted without hesitation. Upon reaching point blank range, the guard acted as a wall with Greninja taking two steps up the upper body delivering a kick through the chin. Gracefully landing on his face, a forceful leap propelled him to the ground sliding across to his comrades. The recovering guard encountered another unfortunate event, a soaring frog slamming his one extended foot into his chest pushing him to the ground.

Wasn't much time to survey the situation upon landing, another spear wielding warrior rushing from the castle's entrance. Merely glancing behind him, the incoming threat geared toward his heart. A short leap over the spear proved a simply tasking, landing upon the spear only inches away from the frozen man. The guard couldn't muster the courage to retract his weapon, fear of any movement would spell his demise. Greninja held other plans, giving off an irritated sigh before cutting the spear apart. Dissolving the katana's in front of the slowly retreating guard, he crossed his arms in hope his act of mercy would prove his nature to some degree. It would prove to be ineffective, for the guard mustered up his courage to strike him with his bare hands where subsequently he was blasted into a wall by a stream of water from Greninja's hand.

Positioning himself along the fountain, switching off between both approaching sides. One sword wielder on each side rushed him, closing his eyes in anticipation. Both swords struck his head, a huge burst of smoke consumed both soldiers. Frozen in place by confusion, a swift strike clashed against both their chins sending them crashing into the fountain. Once the smoke dispersed, a gasp went across the entire square upon seeing their guards swaying wildly in the water. The whole horde finally came at Greninja from both sides. He leaped onto one of the rising guards, propelling himself up the fountain shoving him back down. Upon landing on the middle, he remained puzzled as to why they still continued to view him in such a manner despite being non-lethal. The growing number of guards plus the frightened attention from the square didn't grow well with him, he viewed back to the way he came as a means of escaping. Jumping down to the water below, a sharp sound piercing the wind sent chills up the spine. Slicing his hand through the water, rapidly forming three mini water shurikens. Deadly accuracy sent one of the shurikens into the source of the disturbance. An arrow consisting of a metal head on a course to harm him. Now flipping harmlessly toward the water, he narrowed his eyes to the new enemy who nearly took his head.

"Oh goody, who aims for my head now?"

Whoever this person was grabbed the attention of every other being within the square, his heart picked up the pace for this newcomer shot an arrow through a crowd of armored guards without hesitation. All the men with iron were stricken to the point of mild shaking, one of them bowing down before him.

"Ca….captain, you have our thanks for aiding even with a sole monster. This demonic creature, we have no idea what dark abyss spawned this monstrosity. We…..ummm…..managed to…..tire it, our combined effort shall easily slay this beast."

There came no response, simply walked forward maintaining his soul piercing eyes solely on Greninja. Each step sent groups of guards shuffling to the sidelines, Greninja even felt the tingling feeling within his stomach with his approach. The same guard spoke again.

"Oh….you wish to fight it yourself…..ve….very well, we'll…..just be over here."

The respect given to those with the title captain made them high value targets, in this merely proved his competence when compared to the other weaklings. Pulling on his mental strings with such unnecessary comments of his being, remaining ignorant to the fact he didn't harm anyone a great deal. With the threat now reduced to one human man, he saw little reason in retreat. Placing the bow behind, now replaced with a sword of stainless metal alongside a shield which proved his competence even more. Although he deemed him a worthy foe just from a single glance, he wished for a chance to claim peace despite his incapability to speak their language. Stepping from the fountain, he went about facing his foe. Stopping quite a distance away, a proper view of this newcomer.

A fairly skinned male taller than Greninja himself, sharing an odd trait of pointed ears much like the rest of the townsfolk. Beneath his overly long green hat hid blond hair seemingly short. His body covered up by pretty basic attire, green shirt held down by a brown belt containing one device on the side going past his hips along with beige pants mostly covered up by long brown leather boots. Brown gauntlets surrounding his hands, wearing a face clearly showing anger but held an oddly basic look. Eyes painted blue, although still not at the captivating degree Peach held. Greninja crossed his arms, attempting to display himself as being non-hostile.

"C'mon, i'm really not looking for a fight here. Please…..just look at me will you, do I really look like a bad creature, "The captain continued to stare unmoved by his animalistic sounds, Greninja shook his head to the sad reality of having to fight once more. Water swarmed all around his arms. "I can talk from almost anywhere she says, where are you now when I need a speaker. Can't I just….."

A sudden urge of energy filled the newcomer, despite all the equipment he carried dashed as if nothing but clouds attempted to anchor him catching Greninja off guard. Soaring through the air, the blade nearly grazed Greninja's chest evading with a swift act of bending backwards as far as he could. Sensing another strike, he rose himself to jump away from the returning swift slash for his legs. Quick to act after the failed attempts, the captain made a bee-line for the retreating frog seeing water swim up his arm to his hands. Water katanas finally in hand, upon landing swiftly rose his guard for the approaching strike. The captain slammed the sword down upon Greninja's katanas over his head, easily forcing the pokemon to almost go into a kneeling position before slowly mustering the strength to keep him at bay. Greninja could only stare at the sword with wide eyes, a polished weapon reflecting light from the tip nearly breaking through his first defense. A glance over to the captain's face revealed his determination to slay him for given reasons, teeth clenching as hard as the sword their owner continued to force down.

Viewing the current action futile, the captain withdrew his sword from the struggle. Before Greninja could gather his thoughts, the persistent human smacked him across the face with all his might with his durable shield. Such force forced Greninja in a dazed spin, able to maintain his balance as he stumbled back. A clear view forward caught the human launching another attack, this one approaching fast aimed for the neck. Quick thinking got one of the katana's to block the strike, but remained unable to stop its momentum. Greninja made the sword go over his head with aid of his katana. The captain attempted a low slash for the legs, the pokemon jumped over it tossing one of the katanas. A swift forward stab headed for his heart, he leaped over him barely missing the collision. Angered by getting smacked by the shield, he no longer concerned himself with beating the newcomer without inflicting an injury. While mid-air, swarms of water formed a water pulse. He forced it down toward his rival, flying swiftly enough to where he couldn't dodge it. The rival spun around with his shield taking the hit, now covered completely in smoke. Upon landing, he took a few steps around the fountain simply viewing the smoke along with everybody else who remained silent.

With the spirit of a mad bull, he sprinted through the smoke toward Greninja unfazed by his abilities. Greninja broke a sweat from this sight, unnerved by the ludicrous spike in prowess this man possessed when compared to the meek soldiers. Rapidly closing the distance, Greninja took a few steps forward where he preemptively thrusted his sword to stop his approach. Swiftly the captain rolled across the ground past Greninja, now on his feet reeling his sword back. Seeing the strike come for him, he forced his katana to block. His heart jumped upon the clash, the captain's prowess caused Greninja's whole body to move with the sword's momentum sliding across the ground in a circle despite resistance from his feet. He wound up forcing the poor frog all around him until he was sent plummeting into the fountain. Submerged beneath the water, he began to question if continuing this fight was wise. He caught a glimpse of his rival soaring through the air, plummeting down with the sword leading. Piercing through the water down upon his enemy, retreating from the area of impact waves of water rose all around him reaching far from the fountain's boundaries. Smoke filled the air, played a fool with the blade piercing a mere piece of wood. A disturbance within the air grasped at the captain's attention, he threw his shield over him halting the pokemon from landing upon him. A forceful thrust forced the frog to jump from the shield, escaping the smoke that still hid the warrior.

Still unwilling to retreat, he conjured up a water pulse. Wishing to deliver the strike himself running toward his rival, through the smoke came a metal hook striking out like a snake snatching onto his leg. As if a hollow body himself, Greninja was dragged off his feet quickly gaining altitude. The hook held together by metal chains replaced the human's shield, utilizing both hands on the handle to swing him around. Lifted over the fountain's tip, the claw retracted slightly toward the origin. The frightened townsfolk scurrying back were merely a blur as he swished past them back to where he was. Heading toward the fountain, the hook detached sending him propelling toward a wall at high speeds. The entire of his body clashed against the stone roof providing shade for the shops below, the force created a darkened view of his surroundings as he motionlessly fell. A hazy view of the captain keeping his distance, a boomerang now taking the hook's place. The effects of the daze wore off, began forming a large water shuriken in anger. Upon seeing this, the human threw his boomerang with enough force to draw in the air to circle around out as if a mini tornado. Without a second thought, launched his shuriken for him.

"Damn you, "A spontaneous burst of fire consumed the human's item, shattering it with ease. Greninja's thoughts came to a screeching halt. "What?!"

"ENOUGH, "Such a forceful and intimidating feminine voice discouraged further moment from the human almost to the point of become a mere statue for a brief second. The shuriken still presenting a threat, breaking the human out of his fear induced trance to where he could lean out the way barely avoiding getting decapitated. Almost as if the whole world went slow motion, every single being gazed toward the shuriken curving for Zelda just inches away from the stone walls leading toward her castle. It grazed the hair upon her head sticking itself in the wall, her lack of resistance against the shuriken plus her willingness to remain stationary with no signs of being fazed didn't put anybody at ease. She shook her head staring heavily upon the slightly trembling captain and the highly confused Greninja. "Not pleased…..not…..one…..bit!"

She fast walked to the two combatants, putting the entire square in silence. Seeing her approach, the human straightened himself out as much as physically possible with the guards swiftly following his example. Her attire and the amount of respect given to her by the residents, Greninja immediately deduced that she was the princess Gardevoir and Lopunny spoke of. The pokemon spoke of her kind nature, although the chill flowing throughout the guards suggested otherwise. He quickly positioned himself much like the guards to show respect. The captain's stance couldn't calm the woman, sending him to the ground with a one handed shove now clearly heading for the frog. He knew not to threaten the princess, heart rate quickening with each step. She stopped in front of him, placing hands on hips as she glared down at him with an aggressive set of eyes. She threw a finger between his eyes, speaking in a consistently critical tone.

"Of all things I expect a ninja of your reputation to do, ascending the walls where you would gracefully leap from rooftop to roof for example if you were true to your roots. No, I have to catch wind of you going about barbaric acts against my loyal guards as if a mad moblin. Maybe this be a life you've grown accustomed to from your homeworld, but here we act accordingly to the way of life built from rulers before me…..before you. Merely wishing to direct you to my chambers, my guards fall to your hands just for the sport of it…..such childish new bloods always had a knack of fighting at the very worst times. What say you now….watery imp, mischievous frog whose warrior mindset induced such reckless behavior….what say you?!"

Despite the fact he was attacked first, he succumbed to her will as he bowed down, "I'm sorry."

"I know not the words you speak, but I know an apologetic creature when I see one, "She forcefully grasped onto his pointy ears, yanking him toward the meeting area. Greninja struggled to keep up with his body leaning downward. The pressure she exerted produced a sharp pain on the grasping area, very difficult to ignore. "So…..Greninja, allow me to personally direct you if you're so lost."

The captain could enjoy only a few seconds of his recovery before being grasped by the ear as well, bewildered as to why he was being punished.

"You weren't ignorant to his being, wished to know who he was more than any other. To see you attempt to end him makes you partly to blame for his continuous misuse of his warrior's spirit."

Both were rushed off to the castle doors, went about putting the square at ease going about their business. Pulled about halfway through the gardens before releasing their ears out of mercy. There was internal conflict within the two combatant's, although glad the fighting was put to an end it only brought about a force they wished not to further upset. Heavily winded from constant fighting, Greninja had some difficulty keeping with the others falling slightly behind. The captain refused to look his way, her wraith he wasn't used but sure left an impression. Approaching a massive structure, guards like the one's previously fought trained with wooden weapon. Upon entering the room, he was comforted by the sight of his allies conversing with one another. Gardevoir ignorant to what befell waved to him with a smile.

"Welcome gentle ninja."

Zelda rebuked in an annoyed low tone manner,"Gentle be stretching it psychic one."

Gardevoir face transitioned from embarrassed wide eyes to anger looking his way, her eye slightly twitching, "I beg thy pardon?"

Zelda turned to gaze to the two of them, remaining stationary in hopes of appeasing her, "Shall the innocent expose the gui…., "As if synchronized fully, the two pointed at each other without gazing upon the other. The quick second of her built up anger showing gave way to absolute confusion, her expression softened up. "Why does the mischievous one point?"

Gardevoir held no problem expression the second worth of anger for her, hollering at the frog easily grasping his attention, "GRENINJA!"

He rushed his hands out infront of him, as if trying to stop some invisible force, "No….now wait just a minute here, i've went through a lot of battles just to freakin get here!"

"BEYOND THE WALLS MATTER NOT, WHAT OF THE TOWN?!"

"Attacked me on sight, the situation just spiraled from there! I swear!"

Her being cooled down, her expression also becoming confused, "Upon…..sight."

Zelda sensed the disturbance from Gardevoir, lightening her tone, "What does he speak?"

"His innocent's isn't counterfeit according to him, perchance thy guards did aim to assault first."

"Impossible, I had a messenger survey his most recent battle. To give his being to my guards, he should've….."

From the swinging doors came a odd looking man of a skinny build. Not so fair skinned like the princess, frantic in nature with his every step having some sort of exaggerated exhale. Sporting a skin tight sleeveless shirt and shorts wrapped together by a brown belt. Along with his very noticeably dumb-looking face with eyes widened to the point of being awkward, held a red hat and a banner hanging from his back by a stick all with the same bunny head imprinted upon them. He jogged past the pokemon, saluting to the princess.

"Your gracefulness, why some of the guys uncon…."

Her head sharply turned, his whole professional posture as one would call it became stricken from his soul being pierced by her eyes. Despite her expression, she maintained her low toned voice when addressing the trembling man.

"Your duty was to view Greninja was it not, to warn the guards of his figure. Yet it remained up to me to discover my men lying unconscious by the very target due to what I believe to be a misunderstanding. Due to prior experiences, I wouldn't suggest something so base as incompetence. One must wonder however, what made this instance so special?"

"I….I….i'm sorry your gracefulness, I was stopped by these weird looking creatures."

"Moblins have never been a problem for….."

"No no no, not those creatures. One of them could talk."

"Talk, "Zelda remained in deep thought for a moment, easing her gaze upon the poor mailman. "If that be the case, you're forgiven. None were harmed for this mistake, you'll still be rewarded for effort."

"Oh th….thank you gracefulness, i'll try even harder next time."

With that the person jogged through the doors the same way he came in. Greninja felt all the tension slip away into oblivion, thankful that prove of his kind nature came at the right moment. Happy thoughts started brewing with Gardevoir starting to cheer up, Lucario just didn't care which was to be expected. Zelda however produced a gloomy atmosphere with her current expression.

"Oh…..dear, and the things i've said. Our peace undone by ignorance that much is true…...but, "She glanced over to Greninja, sounding apologetic. The captain seemingly also surprised by the news. "You must forgive me sir Greninja, a shroud of ignorance masked your nature. I speak for him as well. Captain, this pokemon is a Greninja. The very one we wished to meet."

Always wanting to be on good terms with his allies cept for the one that shall remain unnamed, he simply swayed his hand dismissing the whole event despite what an ordeal it was. Zelda spoke up once more.

"Please…..come, "She held her hand out, inviting him with a smile. "I wish to have a closer look at you."

Approaching her with the previous injuries slowly fading, he stood before her with a straightened posture to respect her title. She stroked the top of his head, bringing about mild joy. taking the time to walk around him, she glanced up and down his whole body testing the elasticity of some body parts despite to the slight discomfort to Greninja. Facing him once more, gleefully turning toward Gardevoir.

"I crafted the exact form, such perfection…..not one missing element, "She calmly laid out her hand. "Please kind Gardevoir, lay to me my recent art."

With her eyes glowing white, the statue levitated toward Zelda. The princess took the opportunity to clear up some of the remaining ignorance."

"I do believe introductions are an order, i'm Zelda. I act as the overseer of my people, much like lady Peach. My friend whom you've recently fought is Link, newly promoted warrior raised from the farmland…..and much like you now a Smasher. Thank the goddess he failed in his duty as a monster slayer in this instance, "Link pounded his chest offering his best smile, Greninja recalled hearing that name before his match with the infamous Dark Pit. To think he went up against the hero of Hyrule. The statue laid upon her hand, showing its perfection to Greninja who considered it just that. "You in your prime, your nature frozen in time if I do say. I do hope you share my ideals."

Gardevoir levitated it from her possession, "It shalt sit proudly amongst his compartment milady, thy work is always appreciated. Being there lies nothing else needing to be said, we shalt proceed through the cosmos once more."

"Hold my friend, if I may request a favor?"

"Whatever be thy will milady?"

"It could just be me being overly concerned but…..I recently sent supplies to the Lake Hylia as a sign of goodwill to the Zoras. I figured they would have returned by now. With talk of their being some creature capable of speech, I question their safety."

"Keeping the peace by perforce means is our speciality milady, thou craving for this certain assistance is like music. Anything we should be warned of?"

"I requested the aid of several guards to escort them, hopefully they could fend off a sole creature. It's not like they've ventured far, the bridge overlooking it isn't even a mile off."

"We shalt be sure though."

Lucario spoke up, "Should I call up the rogue unit?"

"Nay, it'll take too much for them to prepare. Send Greninja."

Oh right, the same one to get in a fist fight as soon as he walked through the entrance. Makes perfect sense to me."

"Thou be silent, an error caused the misfortune. Not the ill behavior of our ally, "She gazed over to Greninja whom was eagerly awaiting his assignment. "Thou shalt survey the path to the Lake, subdue any monstrous knave that threatens thy well-being, "She looked over to Zelda. "Milady, any more info regarding the citizens?"

"A wooden cartage, lead by two brown horses. A man and women, carrying supplies as expected. I already mentioned the guards, shouldn't be too hard to find them."

"Easy enough for thee?"

Greninja saluted gleefully, thankfully for the chance to explore this strange world. His injuries were only caused by overwhelming numbers, any problems this trip would have presented was where to go.

"Easy is putting it lightly, any creature these guards can defeat I can defeat faster."

"Not saying much I hate to admit, but thy eagerness is comforting nevertheless."

"Don't forget also i'm still new to this place, don't know which direction my katana should be pointed."

"Don't be afeard gentle ninja, commander, "One of the federation troopers rose from his seat, pulling from his side a pad-like device of gray coloration. He laid its frosty metal upon Greninja's chest, sticking like glue. He watched the man press certain buttons for different functions, most importantly the map which rose from his chest in the form of a hologram. "Thou need only the two functions, call and guidance. We can mark thy location providing aid if deemed necessary."

"Very well, i'll make my scouting quick for her sake."

He rushed off in his usual manner, reaching the door within an eye's blink barely giving Zelda enough time to halt his progress, "WAIT!"

Before he could step outside, he stopped himself could to her call. She jogged at a slow pace to his position, placing one hand upon his head.

"Before you go, please….for any injuries Link caused."

Her hand produced a white mystical aura whose cleansing sensation spread throughout his body, any injuries with slight soreness were instantly removed. Upon finishing, clasped her hands together presenting her smile as a departing gift.

"Never underestimate the unknown, Link knows this all too well. Now discover their whereabouts."

With a nod, went about his new quest. Being dragged by her added with her intimidation made him ignore just how expansive her castle grounds are. Upon reaching the square once more, he decided against the idea of making amends with the frightened guards at the moment. The town remained but a blur with his speed, activating the device to display the holographic map. Dashing from the town's bridge, it indicated a yellow path seemingly directing him to the left path in the distance much to Greninja's joy. Despite this Zelda character possessing a darker atmosphere than the lovely Peach, he could easily sense the warmth even before she saw through the ordeal. Hoping to please all clients of such high ranking, he would gladly accept any task.

The path was narrowed down a bit due to the rocky terrain overlooking it, although thankfully cleansed of evil barbaric creatures that gave him such hassle. With the orange haze painted across the sky giving way to a more blueish coloration came with it a greater warmth. The path's layout remained unchanged for some time, no archer raining down flaming arrows yet. Although the peace came to a saddening end, the earth began to tremble to a slight degree with aggressive exhaling reminiscent of wild beast. In preparation for combat, he ceased his movements putting his heart at ease. There came the barbaric beast riding their boars of war toward his direction. The water swarmed around his hands for anticipation, dissipating upon noticing their boars shifting themselves out his way. Seemingly being ignored by these aggressors as they simply rushed by confused him greatly, even more so by the on foot Moblins running wildly without care of his existence, Their primitive weapons remained in disrepair, clubs sliced in half as their bows consisted of one third of their original form.

Seeing such a sight prompted a slight chuckle from him, clearly underestimating the guard's capabilities when presented a true threat. He casually resumed his quest merely walking, hoping to meet the guards who actually were capable. Reaching the end of the corridor-like path, he was presented with a new area holding a dark sight for all. He could only stared wide eyed at the amount of black ash scattered all over the once beautiful grassy landscape. Alongside them laid blood staining the peaceful land, some in large pools beneath fallen boars whose life had long forsaken them. The most horrific scene was the piles of bodies matching their faction, the guards and Moblins stacked upon one another threatened to chain Greninja to his position. Glancing over to one poor body laid against the still uttering movement gave him the strength needed to push himself into death's zone, even at the thought of him possibly joining them. Despite wanting to reach the breathing soul within a second, his body couldn't dare move faster than a walking pace.

The downed boars lying down on their sides held lacerations all over the body, a deep cut went right across the abdomen where the streaks of dried blood indicated where the pool originated from. The sounds of peace gave way to dreadful silence, with only the wind along with the large birds circling overhead to break it. Near the bridge, held the mentioned cartage reduced to an unrecognizable pile of garbage. Smelling the blood within the air sent dread through his mind, although no insects flew over their corpses which could mean this was recent. After feeling like ten minutes have passed, he finally reached the person clenching his bandaged abdomen. Upon his approach, the man threw out his hand frantically shaking his head.

"Ple…..please…..I said I wouldn't move, wait…...you're…..not like them."

He kneeled alongside the man, shaking his head to whatever foul creature he claimed him to be despite being ignorant to it. His upper body remained bear, his white shirt tainted with blood beside him. Beneath the bandages ran streaks of blood going down to his shorts, his legs suffering minor lacerations. He rested his trembling hand upon his shoulder, whispering despite being the only beings there.

"I know not the name of your species, but you hold a merciful heart. Please…..several hearts like that have been lost already, if you value your life….please…..feed elsewhere. Death's agents overlooks this bridge, "The heavy moans of a feminine being from the bridge grasped Greninja's attention, but brought great dread upon the man. Those sounds were too much for him, shutting his eyes from the world. "That be my wife, she too was spared. I…..I should be the man I promised to be…..and grant her aid, but to bring about the wrath of that agent….to see her die before my eyes. I speak of my reasoning, as if to use logic. To hear her breath grow silent in the distance proves more comforting than torn apart before my eyes….i'm a coward."

Greninja thought back about the sole creature, perhaps this be the monster mentioned. He decided to secure the woman in his stead. He caught sight of a small trail of blood coming from the bridge to the man, figuring he crawled to safety. He carefully peeked along the edge, the bridge didn't hold a better sight. Blood and ash spots remained scattered across the bridge with two lifeless boars acting as blockades. Within the far distance he caught sighting of a bipedal being dragging something across the ground over the horses mentioned. Despite the boars, all that remained was the fallen woman almost halfway across the bridge. As he went about leaping over the boars, his whole being froze to the bipedal creature walking back to the bridge remaining stationary as well. The two stared down one another, Greninja running random scenarios through his head on how this creature would react. The most unexpected event took place, it merely leaped onto one of the walls surrounding the bridge seemingly leaning against the spire. Slowly making his way to the woman, maintaining constant sight upon the figure despite zero resistance. The birds overhead could have dove down for the helpless woman, but fear must have kept them at bay.

He laid his hand upon her shoulder, the figure still maintaining its distance. Basic attire like the husband, cuts going through the clothing clearly striking the skin with stained blood providing evidence. She gazed up to him speaking in a weakened tone.

"What…..are you?"

He kneeled further down for her, slipping his hands beneath her back. She wasn't too heavy, but swift movement was out of the question. This attempt would leave him open to his supposedly merciless being. He lifted her up, taking one last glance over to the being before turning back for the other human. The bridge seemingly grew in length with danger lurking behind him, tortured by the senses from his back as if he could feel the blades about to hit him. Almost to the bridge's beginning, he gazed back to the being whom still relaxed along the side. He finally touched upon the grassy landscape, seeing his breathing wife in his hands brought him great joy. He laid her against the wall beside her husband, the man resting his hand upon her shoulder.

"Dalla, forgive me. I couldn't protect you."

"No need for apologies darling, it was not your fault. We still draw breath the both of us, at least we can say that."

Still….I, "He looked over to his wife's savior, offering an expression of happiness and confusion. "You helped strangers who could offer you nothing, for that you have my thanks. Now….what now?"

He couldn't answer, but he knew that this matter was more than he could chew. He attempted to call up Gardevoir to no avail, nothing but static came through. Being only a sole creature, he figured it couldn't be that strong. He leaped over the boars once more to face it. The map indicated to reach his destination he had to cross this bridge. Greninja went into a sprint for the other side, the being still keeping its relaxing posture. Reaching a certain point, the creature swiftly pulled something resting along its leg. With deadly accuracy, a metal shuriken with three curved blades in a clockwise formation flew from his hands stopping Greninja cold upon landing in front of him. In a beast-like tone, it was able to speak within the shadows.

"Name…..and reason for passing, "Greninja wasn't prepared to encounter questions, expressing animalistic sounds that somewhat irritated the creature with its abdomen radiating a glowing red coloration. "What?!"

Within a blink of an eye, it positioned itself to where the being could jump from his position landing several feet away from Greninja. Expecting trouble to follow soon, he gave the creature its distance. Now exposed to the light, the alien-like nature of this being was profound. Similar to himself, he felt the disconnection this creature had with the world. This creature held a reptilian look to it, gray skin that seemed rather durable to the degree of armor. Chest protected by a silver chestplate reflecting a poor copy of Greninja's body. The stomach's blood red skin seemed questionable weaker, from within radiated a bright red light. Legs remaining true to the gray coloration along with its two long toed feet. A gray spike protruded from the creature's shoulder blade, taking the form of platings. Its eyes glowed a chilling yellow aura, the mouth split into three parts making it look more like an insect. Its three fingered hand rested near the other shuriken. A few tenseful seconds prompted the creature to ease up.

"Ah…..I see, another indigenous lifeform wandering aimlessly through the wilderness. Guessing you be a new breed of Zora, but you have no features of a human. Speaking of which, you don't look like a carnivore. If blood didn't bring you…..then what?"

At the bridge's end, another creature of a similar species came running toward them. This alien being dismissed itself approaching its apparent ally. Overhearing the conversation, it was apparent only this creature could speak the human language as its ally only uttered monstrous grunts. The talking creature laughed off whatever they discussed, causally walking back to him. Extending its hand caused the stuck shuriken to shake for unknown reasons, flying back at him in the same speed it left him. Having both shurikens in hand, a single tap upon their top layer extended the blades now radiating a bright yellow coloration.

"The space pigs…..in Hyrule, and to think this day would go uneventful. The little bird told me you came from that exact place, now can I go as far as saying you're not only a pokemon….but their lapdog. Must have quite the bag of tricks to become one of their pets, "It unleashed another shuriken wielding the speed to create afterimages, producing a terrifying sound as it shredded the air. Simply leaning his upper body was enough to avoid its last second curve, summoning two water katanas to engage. It merely shock its finger, the chilling sounds of blades slowly came back within hearing distance. Greninja barely blocked the swift weapon, now flipping harmlessly through the air. It somehow gained the momentum needed to return to the sender, snatching it from the air with ease. He stuck them upon his legs, the devices on his arms protruded long yellow energy blades. "We're alike you and I, glad to see you have good taste for weaponry. A weapon is created for the sole purpose of feasting on the blood of your enemies after all, how unfortunate that you're my enemy. Try not to bore me like those before you."

Radiating with bloodlust, he seemingly glided along the ground as he leapt for him. Upon both their swords clashing, one could mistake the force this alien just produced was of a Charizard. Struggling to keep its blade at bay as it stomped itself forward, sliding across the bridge at a surprising pace. Thrusting his swords to its sides, forcing Greninja to slide back even further. Dealing swift strikes in such a frantic manner was an expected trait, his own swift fighting style was able to keep the creature from gaining the uphand. Attempting to strike the katanas down his body were met with its blades once more, pushing them to the sides slamming its rock solid forehead into his own. Following the frog's descent, it placed one knee upon it abdomen. The beam flew straight in for his head, colliding the katanas right below the blade's beginning directing it overhead. Slowly but surely, the burning sensation the blade radiated clawed at his skin with its approach. Greninja reeled back his left foot at the sight of the other blade pointed for his gut. A forceful kick propelled the creature off of him, its blades retracted with its hands swiftly stopping his backward descent. A forceful kick sent it flying backward, sliding along the ground hissing monstrously.

Its shurikens by their own will detached themselves to become one with their master's hands. Upon being thrown, they crossed each other one time heading for their rival. He clashed both shurikens into the two, a short struggle between the four blade's durability lead to the shurikens slicing through the katana while barely missing his tongue. Dumbfounded by the lethality of this creature's weapons, he remained ignorant to the creature rapidly approaching. Performing a backwards flip, it dealt a kick right into his chin sending him off the ground. Its shurikens went beneath the airborne pokemon, grasping them while too flipping right side up. Greninja may have been able to flip itself to his feet, but only to be meet by a traveling shuriken. He leaned hard to his left, heavily eyeing the shuriken rush right past him. His confidence further shaken with it performing an impossible sharp curve toward him once more. Another sidestep was enough to evade it. The sight of the other shuriken leaving its master's hand spurred even more worry.

"You've got to be kidding me!"

"LET IT LOOSE, "Greninja leaned as far back as he could, the shuriken gliding along his upper body adding discomfort with its heat radiating blades. Upon his rise while still maintaining eyes on the shuriken, the creature pulled its empty hand back as if pulling something. "AND BRING IT BACK."

Performing yet again an impossible maneuver, the shuriken paused for a second before launching back at Greninja in the same speed. This time having to jump over the weapon, forming two more water katanas. Once again sending one shuriken for his head, upon clashing against his shurikens merely bounced them back to his hands. He picked up the pace, the shurikens taking rapid turns to reflect back to his master's hands. Such pressure forced Greninja to retreat a slight bit with each repel, the creature made this into a game by adding tricky maneuvers such as between the legs throws and flips. With each throw, it gradually approached him moving faster in the process. Nearing point blank range, it was as if every second had a repel. Finally the aggressor ceased its game, spreading apart his katana's with the shurikens. Leaping toward his body, performing several stomps to his chest with the finally more forceful one knocking him down. Launching both shurikens upon landing, Greninja didn't have the time required to react. Striking his body in such short time, his body exploded into smoke.

Angered by the lack of bloodshed, it's reactivated blades easily dispersed the smoke revealing a mere piece of wood heavily damaged. Its ally produced a loud shriek, prompting it to throw it left blade behind him. Their blades clashed, merely laughing at the situation despite almost being cut down.

"I'll give you that one creature, had not been for the unneeded warning…..could have actually gotten cut, "It looked over to its ally speaking in animalistic grunts, Greninja didn't pay it no mind but greatly angered the creature. "Spineless specimen, do I look like i'm in peril?"

It forced the struggle to end with a shove, deactivating it blades, "You deserve to be cut down by my own blade, not some damned blaster. Shame, some coward-like fools don't see the fun in a prolonged fight. This be the end for…..no…..maybe not, if you survive to the end of this day you'll have proved yourself worthy of a rematch. Right now, aerial troopers are flying up here as we speak to finish you….and unlike me they'll just get right to the point. Don't even try to fight them, they greatly outnumber you. Now listen carefully lapdog, the path to life…..is down. I'll let you figure that one out."

Like this creature predicted, he found himself surrounded by lifeforms wielding machines upon their back generating a yellow force capable of sustaining flight much like the creature with numbers roughly over a dozen. Blocking both exits, they all trained their guns on him. Greninja just stood there unwilling to move under the thought of prompting them to act early. His recent rival nudged its head over to the bridge's side, thinking himself insane for actually considering jumping off the bridge. Although a quick thought ran through, they did say it overlooked a lake meaning something could break his fall. Having no choice but to go with that idea, a few of these aerial troopers rained down energy bolts upon him. Leaping from the scene, he began his descent from the bridge and to his surprise was presented with a large body of water. A rather far fall allowed some of the bolts to catch up to Greninja, having to position himself in a diving pose to surpass their speed.

Among one of the few grassy platforms rising from the water, a dangerous being cladded in black lead two Kremlings and several ground troopers like that the other being to seemingly protecting a few fallen beings from fish-like creatures. Every bridge filled up by these fish-like beings preventing their escape. He redirected his course, crashing into the danger zone near the piece of land. Beneath the waters held a strange sight of numerous creatures that held the shape of humans, but had the features of fish. He swiftly swam to the surface, shortly afterward three of these creatures breached the surface to only gaze upon him. Their bodies for the most part were of a darker gray coloration, their chest white with an oddly light reflective way about them. From their heads protruded a fish's tail.

Although he presented himself as being non-hostile, maintaining his distance didn't stop them from bring up their sea themed lances. Unwilling to fight within their element, he swiftly scurried up the piece of land. Reaching the top provided a different theory, a bright blue creature laid unconscious with a spear sticking out from its back amongst several other fish people of a different color. The tall darker being held a skinny figure, a lack of armor revealed some of its upper body and small thighs. Legs coated in darkened armor while leading to its two toed feet. One arm remained bare with three fingers, the other was replaced with a large cannon consisting of a dark coloration. Yellow energy waves traveled all around the barrel within this weapon. A yellow visor strapped to a helmet designed like a knight hid its face, adding to the intimidation.

None of the aggressors were looking his way, trying to climb fully onto solid ground was halted by an unseen fish person grasping at his leg. Apparently strapped to their arms were large orange fins. The male refused to utter a sound, Greninja rested his hands upon the fallen in hopes of assuring his good intentions. He began conjuring up a water shuriken to a bolt of energy striking only inches away, the darker being aimed his way. To his surprise it too could speak the human language.

"A newer breed of Zora I presume, matters not….a primitive lifeform all the same. Heed my warning youngling, maintain your current position or retreat to the waters. I've killed more than enough of your kind already, i've yet to decide if our experiment was a success or not."

A Kremling spoke up, maintain eyes on the Zora remaining upon the bridges, "Oy, space man. For a big ole scientist ya sure like to take ya time, not too sure we can handle the whole lot of em."

"YOU…..primitive creature…..YOU can't handle them, our tech can render all these creatures motionless within ten minutes."

"Now look here mat….., "Turning around, he froze to the sight of Greninja whom stared right back at him. "Oy…..that be no blasted Zora, a pokemon is what it is. Worse yet, a Greninja too. Stories back home hold this twig going about causing all sorts of trouble for Rool."

"You mean…...the same one who impeded our efforts on Shalour, that Greninja, "It tightened its fist, trembling from its own anger. Practically slamming its upper armor which produced a static sound, it spoke in a harsh tone. "Clear the damn bridges!"

Greninja prepared himself to fight this dark being with the possible aid of the other beings which he assumed were the Zora. Although that thought of hope quickly despired to rapid gunfire raining down upon the bridges, forcing the Zora to flee to the waters below leaving him with all the eyes of his enemies. The dark leader closed the distance between them a bit, the aerial creatures circling around to prevent his descent to the seas. Adding some comfort despite the dire situation, it spoke once more.

"So…..you're a Chaser huh, you don't have a single clue as to the ramifications of wearing such a title. Here's a lesson for you, that being if it was truly you. I got reports of a connection trying to establish itself within this zone, the reason why it failed is because we jammed it. Understand this little one, they'll be deaf to your screams while we remain here."

"Ya be right mate, not one extra ear will catch wind of ya filthy twig. Just give us the word, and we'll put him down."

All his actions leading to this scenario he instantly regretted, he knew the situation was spiraling beyond his capabilities yet went for it anyway. His life being played with by a sole creature, all odds against him with the name Chaser attached to him. He couldn't utter a sound, almost able to hear his rapid heart beat watching the guns continuously growing a greater coloration of yellow. The being lowered its gun, backing away slightly.

"Test results are…..inconclusive, abnormal behavior when exposed to Zora. Further testing is required, we shall return to base."

The Kremling stared at the leader, dumbfounded by its words, "What be going through that tiny noggin spaceman, what of the toad?"

"This creature has a long nose, mindlessly poking it in other affairs. If that be the case, it shall clean up our lab table for us. As for the specimen, worthless if not among the living, "It tapped its chestplate, speaking in a louder tone. "All units , we're leaving the planet."

Extending its free hand, a large vortex formed beside him. The Kremlings reluctantly stomped their way through the vortex followed by all the alien-like beings as well. The remaining darkened creature shook its head.

"Take this mercy as a warning frog, leave them while you still can. Next time, i'll personally kill you."

With that it walked through the vortex, instantly closing behind him. Greninja legs crumbled beneath him, falling onto his back in relief. All was silent, a very welcoming volume that was music to him. A gasp drove him from his relaxation, the blue being jerked slightly. He rushed over to its aid, distrusting of its apparent innocent look when holding alien-like features as well.

The physique of this being was feminine, clearly a female. The most odd thing about her is she held features that were reminiscent of the Zora, but more geared toward human parts than fish. Her bright blue coloration clashed against this world's darker colors, especially the Zora. He could see the frontal upper body covered by clothing matching perfectly with the skin. It stopped around the hips, splitting off to blue scales attached to her hips leaving her back exposed. The lower half of her body remained bare, much like the other Zora. Around her arms hung scales, her right wielding a bracelet with a blue orb attached. Purple earrings hung from her fin-like ears, her head of a darker coloration closely resembled a jellyfish. Much like the other Zora as well, she possessed all five fingers.

He reluctantly went about pulling the spear from her back, offering no resistance to his attempt. Not a spec of blood rested upon the blade, even more concerning was the wound healed almost instantly closing up before his eyes. The Zora that first encountered him reached for him, groaning with his attempt. Greninja rushed over, expecting the worse to be on his front. He slowly flipped him over to see that he was right, although his theory was shot down. Scratch and bite marks remained scattered all over his body, certain spots were darker in color indicating internal bleeding. Some marks had five lines going alongside one another, the aliens only had three fingers.

He went to face the blue female only to meet a swift smack across his face. The force behind it sent Greninja falling over, the blue female had rosen. A blue aura swarmed around her, eyes pitch black. Whispers came from her, although not intelligible. Slow she walked to his position, occasionally twitching her entire head. Greninja kept crawling backwards in uncertainty, unsure of what to think of this. With his strength renewed by his will, the downed Zora rose up to combat this woman. He struck her head, unable to even faze her. Grasping his wrist in a flash, bones cracked beneath her might forcing the poor Zora to plead on his knees. Her emotionless expression to his suffering, as if all was mute to her but the blue aura swirling around her. Releasing his wrist only lead to his neck taking its place, lifting him up with a sole hand as if he weighed nothing. His breath became more shallow, kicking wildly against her to no avail. She spoke recognizable words in a nonchalant tone.

"You may die now."

Greninja couldn't bare the thought of this male dying on him, he rushed over to the sea spear preparing to severely injure her. With a running start, he rammed it right into her back once more. One would think he struck a durable tree, barely able to pierce her skin. It may have stuck like before, but she merely looked back at him tossing her victim away. She pulled it off of her, snapping it in half instantly. She begun her approach for him, speaking in the same tone.

"Serve me…..or perish, there will be….there will be...be….be, "Her movement went rigid, the blue veil around her dissipated revealing her bright blue coloration. "Yo…..yo…..you….oblivion…...the….heart must…..survive."

With fortune on his side, she fell over motionless. He rapidly smashed the call button for someone maintaining worried eyes upon the woman. FInally Gardevoir answered.

"Took you long…."

"Yeah yeah, sounds good. Ummm, we get a problem."


	4. Remnant of Evil

Heartfelt memories

The ordeal which transpired upon Hylia lake ceased with minimal casualties, federation troopers entered the scene with guns in hand. Still shaken up by their previously ill encounter with this alien faction, the Zora showcased their spears rather than warm arms. Gardevoir convinced them of their willingness to help, apparently had discussed terms before. Given time to grief for their fallen allies, the Chasers offered their own ship as a healing bay for solace. The extreme nature of the situation kept Greninja on edge, frantically explain everything to had happened prior to reporting in. Greninja grew a fondness for Zora that day, the one who aided with the aggressive woman spoke highly of his bravery when presented with death.

As for the woman who aimed for his life, they took her along with the other wounded at the expense of Greninja. They possessed no answer for her aggression, only confused expressions rose when told of this blue aura whispering to her. Predictions of Hyrule's mental deterioration upon hearing the news of this prompted them to classify it, to later be revealed to Zelda. Greninja's small wounds took little time to treat, sitting within the med bay keeping tabs on the Zora being treated. He kept his eyes mostly on the woman who attacked him, occasional breaths she took remained the only indicator that she was still alive. Despite the utter lack of wounds and blood levels being deemed normal, she still showed as much animation as a corpse.

He kept a chair next to her bed, three mini shurikens in hand for her next surge of bloodlust. Although when danger wasn't breathing down his neck, he found himself fixated on this being's physique. Unable to deny this woman's beauty, her skin's blue brightness reminiscent of his shurikens. Seemed so much like a different species, yet given the name Zora by those in white. Thinking back to the ordeal taking place at Hylia lake, was this woman who laid calmly been their specimen. He concluded that the scratch marks inflicted upon his ally Zora were given by this person, consisting of such an elegant look which rivaled even Peach made such a thought hard to believe.

Beyond the med bay's glass walls, his comrades Lopunny and Gardevoir conversated along one of the many lengthy white tables. Their talk at no risk of being overshadowed, troopers maintained a decent volume gazing over the machines displaying holographic details of the situation. Gardevoir looked sadly upon the frog intently watching his apparent foe.

"Still bears ill thoughts of this woman, afeard of her unknown nature."

The situation put Lopunny in a depressive state, still willing to place her palms upon Gardevoir's to ease both their moods, "Gardey, give him time. We have to piece together what the space pirates were doing there, that has to come before all else."

The only anomaly was the woman, if we're going according to Greninja's statement. Even now our physic remains unneeded, although….to believe this rapid regeneration to not be counterfeit proves difficult."

"I never took him as a liar, and you shouldn't either."

"If it be thy will, although a strange sensation of deja vu hovers over me. That physique…..could it be….,"

"Ruto, "Both their eyes gazed toward the origin, fellow Chasers Lucario and Pikachu came down via escalator. Gardevoir gazed back at the woman, unwilling to accept his words as truth due to that being's fate. Lucario merely continued to cast an aggressive gaze toward the unconscious Zora. "That thing is like Ruto."

"Surely thou jest, could just be a relative."

"That face…..I knew I saw it before, we searched through the Smash library."

Ears hanging down low along with his eyes, Pikachu crawled over maintaining worried eyes toward the Zora, "They're very similar…..practically exact. The things she must have been through."

"Oh don't waste your breathe, it doesn't deserve our pity nor does it want it. Greninja is doing what he should be, making sure this project doesn't run amok."

Gardevoir clenched her hands, wishing he make up his mind regarding Greninja's usefulness, "So….you believe the trouble maker?"

"Of course I do, under these circumstances anyway. What he said is exactly what I would expect from their test subjects. Probably ditched it when it failed its purpose, with that being said it could just be rotting from within at the moment."

The anger roused within Pikachu fueled its electricity, swarms of electric bolts traveled all over him with his narrowed eyes focused on Lucario, "Really…..when Zora just lost some of their own you just wish for another one to join the numbers. Had it been a pokemon or heck…..another Lucario, would you treat it with the same lack of respect. Why must she be nothing more but a wild animal, what right do you have?"

"Heh, plenty actually. Keep in mind that we're Chasers, we train to destroy whatever abomination they create whether machine or organic…...hell both. From what we've been given, it's the pirate's property. The actually Ruto died, you look at me like i'm not being considerate but it is that thing that stole its form from the deceased."

"I don't care what she looks like, she is a Zora. Our true mission is to protect the innocent, not sentence them to death based on assumptions."

The aggression grew greater seeing the futility of his reasoning, Pikachu's words failed to budge the canine's stubborn mind. Lacking the will to continue the meaningless chatter, he shook his head before walking for Gardevoir.

"Zora died by the hands of those monsters, and this thing you call a Zora….she aided them. It matters not how small her inflictions were, the fact remains that the Zora wish for retribution, "He smacked the table with both hands, venting out his growing anger. Gardevoir remained unfazed, more irritated by his obsessive need to rush judgement. His tone grew in volume. "Would you really have them go back knowing these creatures don't fear returning, that a proud race was reduced to nothing more but subjects for testing? We must start somewhere, what better than this weak imposter!"

Gardevoir maintained her silence for a moment, giving everybody a chance to settle their emotions. Breathing slowly to ease her irritation, she spoke on the Zora's behalf.

"Thy commitment to avenging the Zora is brave, but I cannot rule her life as being base for redemption. We know not what befell during her time, her form fails to even coincide with the pirate's nature. What bioweapon takes after a passive noble, a waste of time from the beginning."

Seeing his efforts failing right away, he backed away from the table. Taking a moment to calm himself for his sake, crossing his arms with eyes back on the Zora.

"Fine…..fine, if you all truly wish to mend her then it'll be your burden to carry. I have to really stress the fact that it nearly killed one of her own. Once it wakes, you'll have to mend our own troops next. Actually, before it wakes…..put it down now. One less thing to worry about later. If not, then at least keep the frog away from it…..for his sake."

"I already have another assignment in mind for him, thy office lies in the nearby villages. See if any more experiments were conducted on defenseless areas. Lopunny and I shall survey this Zora. If her awakening brings about chao's, i'll behead her myself."

"That's all I ask, also Infernape and Charizard wanted me to inform you that everything checked out at Ylisse. They'll be back shortly."

Lucario left the group to their own thoughts, seemingly accepting of their decision. Elevating her head with her hand, Gardevoir began the processing of every way this could aid them or hinder. Lopunny knew not how to feel about the Zora's presence, but mattered little when her friend was fighting her thoughts. She gave a few pats to Gardevoir's head, offering up a smile. Alerting Gardevoir came Greninja, making his way to the group keeping eye contact on the Zora. Pikachu was the first to address him.

"You ok?"

"I've been through worse, still don't trust her though."

"Neither does Lucario."

"Hmph, finally something we agree on. Should I get the princess?"

"We've decided to keep it low key, tell her after we treated all the Zora."

"Very well, "Started making his way toward the escalators. "I'll be in my quarters if you need me."

Pikachu darted in front of him, curiosity stopped Greninja, "Before you do that, I want to know. Did you really fight Link?"

"Oh the captain, yeah in the square, "He rubbed his chest, a tingling sensation went around the area he almost got stabbed had it not been for his quick thinking. "He was out to kill me, although that sort of thing came with the job. I knew danger was going to show up in some way, i've gotten over it."

Pikachu's ears perked up, expressing an astonished look, "And he didn't severely injure you….huh, i'm impressed."

"Why so, is it because he's a Smasher?"

"Yes, but not the exact reason. Link isn't just any ordinary fighter, he is among the oldest Smashers."

"In age?"

"No, being a Smasher I mean. He is…..ok…..ummm, did anybody ever tell you of the Universal Peril?"

"Gardevoir did when I first got here, something about a war."

"At the war's end, there was a truce between four factions who weren't brought to ruin. A collaboration between four of the mightiest warriors at the time. They swore to fight under one banner, to act as the guardians of peace. With the worlds connected by the vortexes, one person's problem was everybody's concern. Being the mightiest during this time, their formidable prowess only grew greater with time. New worlds entered into the scene, their chosen warriors fell to the might of these four warriors. Impressed by their efforts, they joined Smash for the friendly competition. Up to this day they remain the strongest fighters known to Smash, and act as the symbols of what Smash is. Now don't get me wrong, they had their fair share of losses. Keep in mind however that numbers don't lie, they currently and always had the highest win ratio."

The look of dumbfoundedness written across Greninja's face made Pikachu break out of his gloom, such a reputation for Greninja was torn between absolute respect and complete fear. His eyes now widened, he went about speaking.

"O…...o..oh…...well then, is…..is Link one of them?"

"Yep, killed countless foes to keep his title."

"An…..and the others?"

"There is a human named Mario, a brawler who lives in the Mushroom Kingdom. The other is an alien named Kirby, a dream eater of champions who resides in Dreamland. The already mentioned Link, and the last but not least…."

"Yes…yes, tell me who?"

"Weeeeelllll, "Pikachu stood up proudly on two, placing hands on hips showcasing the biggest smug smile he has ever seen. "You're looking at him."

"You…..you're one of them, a Sma…..Smash master?"

"Yup."

"Ummm, I gu….guess…..that….ummm, "Greninja bowed before him, shaking slightly from the news." I...I….I thank you for actually considering me worthy for Smash. I'll be sure not to waste your time…..Master Pikachu."

"Oh no need for master, i've never been one for titles. We're usually referred to our category…..The Superior Four."

"Superior…..Four, "Greninja straightened himself, pondering the name. "I feel as though I….heard something similar before."

"Heh, "Pikachu lowered his eyes, scratching the back of his head. "It was sorta my idea."

Gardevoir rose from her seat, capturing both their attention, "I hate to be this rise in morale's undoing, but we have an office in need of our attention. Sir Pikachu, you'll be aiding Greninja with a delivery. We shalt…."

"Pardon my intrusion Gardevoir, "Without gaining anyone's notice, the princess of Hyrule and Link managed to enter the room. A sole trooper remained by their side, glancing at the saddened Zelda. "I had to see for myself."

"Mi….milady, nobody discovered to me thy coming here. Fellow soldier, why didn't thou request me?"

The soldier stepped forward, "Apologizes, she came to our post outside requesting she be taken to the Zora."

"How did thou…."

"One of my people witnessed the whole ordeal, and reported it to me. Your sudden leave made sense afterward, "She gazed over to the room containing the Zora. "A dark cloud hangs over them this day, never have they been struck by the pirates."

"Sad indeed, i'm sorry we were slow on the draw."

Zelda's expression grew furious, closing her fist as tightly as possible, "A fight against the Zora is a fight against me, I too shall prepare for their coming. I've made the guards aware of their new training regime, and I too shall hone my skills to the most lethal tip. Catch wind of anymore disturbances, i'll answer with my bow in hand."

"Of course milady."

"Now for my other reasoning for being here, I wish to ask for Greninja's time."

"Oh, whatever for?"

"Link here is going to endure longer periods of training, and your new friend is quite capable. Link wishes to engage Greninja in a round of Smash."

They all gazed over to Greninja who seemed as if he was struck by ice beam, staring wide eyed at Link. Zelda noticed the awkward stance immediately.

"Why does he remain so still?"

"Pardon his newfound fear, Pikachu discovered to him Link's status….a member of The Superior Four."

Despite the situation, she still found some humor in the statement. Offering a weak smile, comforting him with a pat on the head.

"Worry not Greninja, he rarely goes all out on friendly matches. This isn't a matter of winning or losing, but to help each for the dark road ahead. Please…..don't let fear cloud your judgement, accept this challenge."

Not wanting to appear as a coward in front of his superiors and the Chasers, he casted aside the newfound information nodding in acceptance. His soon to be opponent was preoccupied with Pikachu crawling up to his shoulder. After learning of their high status, the two of them getting along made sense. Zelda continued on.

"Fantastic, this battle shall transpire on the Bridge of Eldin. Sorry for robbing you of your newcomer, I know he'll be pretty busy during these times."

Gardevoir brushed off the notion, looking upon the two fighters with great interest, "No…..use him as thou wish, a fight against a Superior is worthy of my attention. Lopunny, be a dear and watch over the Zora."

Her cheerful side shined through, saluting to her friend, "You can count on me Gardy, and good luck to you sweetums."

The legitimate Zora were in good enough care, troopers stationed outside the grounded ship's massive hatch spent their time improving their transport ships or attending to past damages. Associating themselves with the busy troopers, a handful of Zelda's guards waited patiently for their princess' return. Along their journey for the bridge, Greninja's attention was drawn to Gardevoir's new weapon of choice. Attached to her by a belt, two silver handles sat by her sides bladeless. He thought back to his encounter with the space pirate who summoned a energy blade at will, perhaps this was going to be the same case. He still held some worry over fighting someone of such high status, having fell greater opponents. Although the space pirates would be just as lethal, those creatures lacked the patience needed for Greninja to ease his way into this new life.

Monsters made it their mission to keep their distance, a quick draw of Link's sword forced their submission. Despite these creatures being a better point for practicing, he felt a relief of not having to enter another life or death battle. With the bridge now within sight, he prepared himself mentally for his fight. Off in the distance came a odd sight, a man running down the bridge with slight difficulty maintaining his balance. Due to the recent ordeal, everybody came rushing to his aid. Everybody feared the same thing, that the recent tragedy was only the beginning. They met him halfway across the bridge, his rapid breathing accompanied by the frightened expression told them danger was near. Before Zelda could utter a word, the man spat out his first.

"Thank goodness the gods have answered us, you must help. A black veil threatens our livelihood, the….darkness is upon us."

Zelda reached for him, placing her hand upon his shoulder, "Is this darkness reptilian in nature?"

He radically shook his head, "No…..no no no, unlike anything i've ever seen. It holds power beyond anything the guards could handle, the black flames…..it devours anything that falls."

Within in instant Zelda and Link gave each other aggressive stares, "Ganondorf."

"Please…..over at Kakariko, a lone creature fights against this demon. Lasting longer than the guards, he may not survive against this demon."

"Worry no…., "As if the fury of the gods was vented against the planet, the ground shook violently. They all gazed horrifically over to the valley's end, the tips of black flames towered over the already tall rocks surrounding said village. "By the gods…."

Gardevoir shoved Greninja aside, utilizing her psychic ability to levitate her handles to her hands, "That fool Lucario is fighting, where be his call for aid!"

The man quickly fell behind along with the guards, unable to equal their swift movement for the canyons. Aerial creatures fled the scene, unwilling to engage the heroes with the near darkness still present. Through a busted down gate, they finally laid eyes on the village. The entity Ganondorf was instantly removed as the suspect, giving way to an even crueler force of nature. A sole dirt road went through the entire village, several houses laid to the side with abyss black flames resting upon their sides. Even the buildings on higher elevation were not spared of this darkness. Luckily the villagers known here were not present outside, but a lone Lucario stood near the village's pool of water glancing over to the massive hole behind him within the towering rocks oozing black flames.

Still bodies of Zelda's guards remained scattered across the road cloaked in a flaming darkness, covering her mouth to this horrific sight. The darkling gazed its visors toward the newcomers, turning her back completely on the pokemon.

"One sheep leaves the pack, only to bring more to the slaughter house. Heh, should spare runners more often. And what's this….Hyrule's crown jewel gracing me with her presence, do turn away oh wise one or risk blinding me with your radiating weakness."

Everybody acted as her shield moving in front of her, appreciating their efforts she still shoved them aside making her way back front, "Be silent darkling, you do best to not address me as some lesser being. To submit the townsfolk to your torment on top of it, you've quickly established new enemies."

"You mean the lesser roaches, crawled up in their shacks. I could care less for their being, they are of a weak people. These guards…..a shining example of their jewel, were inadequate….eaten away by shadows that merely contain only a husk of their true self. Please your lowliness, escort yourself to the sidelines like usual…..the Chasers offer a little more bite."

"You dare continue this base mockery, then i'm afraid if shadows is where you came then shadows you shall return. Release my loyal guards of this suffering, and we'll offer you your desired fight."

"Oh…..well with such a tempting offer how could I ever refuse you, give me a moment please, "With a snap of this creature's fingers came its sadistic nature, fallen bodies of her guard consumed whole by the growing black flames clouding their whole being in its veil. From some invisible force, the flames flew off the ground leaving behind no evidence of a body. They all merged with the veil surrounding Dark Samus, giggling at their angered expressions. "Did I do good?"

Such a cruel action broke Lucario, his growl was loud enough to grab everybody's attention. One step toward this aggressor had him go faster than the eye could process, appearing right in front her as she was turning around. Before the gun could be pointed for him, he struck her abdomen with his palm utilizing all his might. A simply move propelled Dark Samus off her feet, tumbling backwards once before rebalancing herself with her hand where she slid by her feet. A glance backwards mid slide caught sight of a mid-air Link holding his sword high ready to strike down upon her head. The sword came crashing down, the darkling's body then went through something similar to sublimation. A mist of darkness phased through his sword, following the blue visor through the air. Traveled over Lucario to where she could see everybody. Reforming back to her original form, the dark veil began to spread amongst the ground. Link rushed for her, his movement ceased to Gardevoir teleporting in front of him with her hand out.

"Cease gentle Link, let me propose a question for this knave, "She looked her enemy's way, trying to make herself seemed unfazed by her tricks. "Discover to us thy actually being?"

Dark Samus slouched over, head tilted slightly with a confused tone, "You're kidding right? Have all our tangos been for not, STOP BEING STUPID AND TELL ME!"

"Thou can't be…..Prime!"

"Oh…..is that what you meant, sorry…..my armor can confuse people at times. Of course i'm Prime!"

"Don't get snippy with I, thou died along with the accursed planet Phaaze."

Prime straightened herself out, "Right, thanks for reminding me pet. I remember my fight to the death with my nemesis quite fondly. When I was awoken, I was made quite aware of Phaaze's demise."

"But thou couldn't have awoken, Phaaze was the source of phazon…..thy life blood. Without it, thou couldn't sustain thyself."

"I would agree with that statement, my return wasn't without its problems. Through the absence of phazon, I was gifted with a control over the dark arts…..acting as my substitute. I'm grateful believe it or not, but it cannot replace what was rightfully mine."

"I see, then I crave for two more questions. Who revived thee? Did thou lead the pirates to the lake?"

From the profound darkness spreading further across the ground flew a spear consisting of solid shadows, barely missing Lucario's arm jetting straight for the larger group. Gardevoir's blades shined through its open hole, such pure energy emitted electrically currents that cracked through the tense air. A swift slash against the spear easily dissipated its existence, its burning tip directed toward its master's foe. Dark Samus rose her gun toward them, clenching her free hand.

"For a psychic type, what a dumb set of questions you just asked. I take great offense that you actually think i'm stupid, that I really expose those secrets after what you Smashers did to MY PLANET! I'll let you know why i'm here though, simply to enact my revenge one step at a time. The torturing of weaklings provided an excellent source of nectar, like bees you swarmed in…...predictable. With your damned Federation taking my planet, i'm hellbent on taking yours…..and your life. Thank this world's goddess that I actually found our fights a thrill, i'll make sure to leave you slightly broken today in hopes that in the near future you'll be begging for mercy."

"NO DEMONIC KNAVE, THERE SHALT BE NO NEXT TIME. RATHER THEE COUNTERFEIT OR REAL, THOU SHALT GO THE WAY OF PHAAZE!"

Greninja's attention toward the alien being was disrupted by this unexpected sentence, gazing around all his allies taking their battle stance. Not a joke nor scare tactic, he knew there was evil within this creature but couldn't bring himself to be ok with causing her death.

"The way of Pha…., you can't mean, "He ran to Gardevoir's side who remained ungrasped by his approach, sword pointed for this creature's heart. He still attempt to get her attention, tapping her shoulder. "You…..you're really going to…..kill her? I mean…..I heavily injured aggressors, but they lived…..I never actually killed anyone. Don't peo…..beings like this go to…..i don't know….prison?"

"Temporary prison is to understand one's sin, to pledge thy newfound obedience to the law. This knave would never submit to our rule, kills just for joy. She….is irredeemable. Worry not gentle Greninja, I had no intention for thou to fight. This foe is too ruthless for such a stainless heart, leave this to us."

Prime laughed to herself, Greninja swore he could hear whispers all around him, "So….this is Greninja, your new Chaser. What…..he doesn't want to kill me huh? FOOL…..mercy is only for those of great strength, something you lack. No worries though, consider this your lucky day. I'll be breaking you last."

From the corruption dispersed across the ground, tendrils weaved themselves together forming bodies similar to space pirates. Their eyes oozed a yellow substance, energy beams emitting from their arms like the creature Greninja fought. Producing a horrific sound within their dense shadow form, they sprinted toward their foes. One lashed out at Lucario, simply jumping high over the wave for Dark Samus. Holding his hands close, a circular condensation of blue aura grew in size. Upon reaching a worrying size, he launched it her way. Although she caught it with her free hand, the force managed to slide her slight across the ground. Tendrils swiftly penetrated the sphere, dissipating it with ease. With a laugh came her gun directing itself his way, a bolt of blue energy flew toward him. WIthin the blink of an eye, he soared out of its path sliding across the road preparing another ball of aura. His speed threw her off, allowing the ball to slam into her sides. Upon the smoke's dissipation, only anger grew with his foe seemingly unfazed.

Pikachu, Link, and Gardevoir met the approaching horde head on. The lead shadow tried to strike Gardevoir first, the blade's heat could only spread its warm upon her head with her teleporting out of its path. Appearing behind it, she swung the sword in several circles merely with her fingers before impaling its back prompting a blood curdling scream. It could only enjoy a second of the sword's retreat before she sliced off its head with her other. Upon quickly dispatching the evaporating shadow, she swung a sword to block the next shadow's attack. Greninja remained dumbfounded by her complete lack of emotion, dealing a lethal blow without anger even leading her. Utilizing her prowess to force the struggle's end, a swift strike cut off the shadow's retreating arm. As it reeled back, she crossed the blades through its waist where she crossed them once more through the chest. Dissipating in front of her only revealed another approaching shadow with two others close by. As foolish as throwing her blades in the air seemed, a white aura surrounded them spinning in mid-air rapidly directly in front of her acting as a lethal shield. With her slow advance the blades kept up theirs, forcing the shadows to slowly retreat with others losing interest heading for the other combatants. One directly in front of her worked up the courage to strike this moving shield. Its blade went for her head, disrupted by her blades striking beneath it propelling it overhead. Grabbing onto both, she spun around with one blade cutting off its attacking arm. Facing it once more, teleporting behind the creature following up with a double stab to the back forced its dissolve. From her sides, she caught sight of a shadow leaping for her to only get blown apart by Pikachu's thunder. Swinging the swords back to front, another shadow ran for her. Casually swinging a blade to block its strike, she swung herself around lifting up a leg to strike its head. The force sent it to the ground, leaping off the only one foot low enough to be only slightly above the down creature. Spinning herself rapidly, the blades constant took turns tearing away at its being slicing off its arm. It began to dissolve, upon landing she went for overkill slicing off the head before it could fully disappear.

Greninja glanced over to Link who was forced into a kneeling position from five shadows bearing their blades upon his shield. Revealing its horrid figure, a shadow crawled along the buildings over Link's struggle. Greninja prepared a large water shuriken as its gaze directed itself to his exposed back. It leapt for him with both energy swords leading its descent, before he could launch it an arrow radiating with a blinding light pierced through the being dissipating it instantly. A quick glance over to Zelda revealed her weapon of choice, a rather large golden bow. Confused as to how she could have carried such a large weapon and unleash an arrow without Greninja noticing. Holding her hand out, his eyes remained fixated at the swarms of light particles forming an arrow. The flaming corruption spread through the roof's, more shadows traveled across the roofs for Link. A single shot dispersed two more shadows, failing to unnerve the approaching force. With a forceful shove with all Link's might behind it, he spun rapidly around with the sword slicing through their abdomens. Finally free from the struggle, he focused his attention upon the shadows from above.

Few shadows kept their attention upon Link, one ignored him heading for Zelda and Greninja. Leaping from its elevated hill, yellow matter dripped from its mouth producing a spine chilling sound only capable from a nightmare. Although Zelda started speaking to him, he still kept his eyes on the approaching nightmare.

"These creatures…..are not real, illusions designed to unnerve us. As a Chaser, would you really allow yourself to be so easily defeated by the non-existent. Provided evidence of your heart, aid your friends….or be the coward who watches those suffer."

He understood the point she made, although killing wasn't an option in all his fights this shadow held no true soul. Preparing two water katanas, he braced himself for its approach. Spontaneously picking up speed, Greninja parried its first slash just in time. It threw wild slashes for all his body parts, parrying each forceful strike proved somewhat difficult. Throwing both blades upward, it struck down upon his crossed guard sending him sliding backwards. Digging its blades through the earth, it leapt for him. He managed to roll beneath its attempt, upon getting up thrown his katana's through its back. The shriek it produced pierced his hearing, although fought through it to produce a large water shuriken. Violently turning with its blades targeting his head, the thrown shuriken met the approaching shadow half way slicing half its head off. Its approach ceased, remained stationary in a constant state of twitching. The yellowish mist within its head forsakened it, collapsing throughout the ground. He stopped to think about his action, staring with thoughts of what that creature just went through sending a chill up his spine. Such a taboo thing to him, yet so simply to accomplish was the most unsettling thing about it. Although mere shadows, the other Chaser's attitude toward this Dark Samus character only reassured they held no fear killing off living breathing lifeforms. Would he be able to hate someone that much, or even see it as just cause.

His mind drawn back to the situation with the shrieks of another shadow behind him quickly turning to silence. From the group's entry point, the rest of Zelda's guard finally arrived to aid. Figuring they would come to assist Zelda, the path toward the darkling he went. Killing off another shadow, a flying Lucario crashed into a distracted Gardevoir. The other two were too distracted to notice them, before Lucario could begin to rise they both caught glimpse of Dark Samus hovering over. An orange blade protruded from her arm, lunging for her downed prey. Greninja leaped over them barely parrying her attack, hovering slightly away from the frog annoyed by his futile efforts.

"You're too easily impressed meek one, you think destroying one pitiful shadow gives you the right to fight me. Fine then, be the first to enter oblivion."

From her gun shaped hand spawned a whip shrouded in shadows, sticking itself to Greninja's foot. He aimed to cut himself loose, effortlessly denied with his being flying through the air. Violently smacked across the ground, misfortune prompting his swords to flee his grasp. Being this predator's ragdoll came to an end, colliding roughly against one of the buildings. His darkened vision still caught sight of the darkling speedily hovering for him. To his rescue Link darted in front of him blocking her blade with the shield. Forcefully shoving her away, he yelled at the top of his lungs unleashing a slash for her upper body. She leapt back with the blade gliding up her body nearly clipping the chin. Biting down hard upon his teeth, his next set of strikes forced the darkling to retreat for each strike forced her blade to go wildly to her sides. Soon the two clashed their blades together entering into a struggle, the human showcased his incredible prowess by equaling her own. She spoke of his attempt as if he was a fool.

"Such a powerful warrior, too bad you're nothing more but a puppet for fate. Must think yourself so unique huh, what utter nonsense. Oh i'm the monster they all say, yet their recurring nightmare always has you. It is your existence that keeps bringing evil back."

Such random news held no weight for it lacked evidence, but nevertheless sent shock through Link's mind. Upon seeing his confusion and the force he produced began to lighten, her blade forced his away from her. The force sent Link stumbling backwards, Dark Samus directing her gun his way. Tendrils of darkness swarmed to her, forming a terrifying ball of dark matter cracking with purple electrical currents. Upon being fired, Link managed to rise his shield blocking the shot. Although a great power flew with it, pushing Link back as he desperately kept it from breaking his guard. Greninja now fully recovered saw his newfound ally struggling against this threat, running to Link pushing with all his might against his back. With the pokemon's assistance ceasing Link's movement, he fought against this ball's momentum forcing it to fly further down the road exploding in an eruption of black flames.

Glancing back over to his rival revealed a worrying sight, Dark Samus closed the distance merely a foot away with the blade already coming in for him. His further widened with each inch the blade made. Although she would be denied her kill, both their focus remaining solely on the approaching blade keeping them completely ignorant of the build up of electrical energy filling the air. Pikachu with the speed of lightening collided his head into her side while engulfed in an intense electricity generated aura. As if hit by a full speed truck, the darkling violently tumbled across the ground breaking through the wooden staircases along nearby buildings. Her form dispersing into mist, reforming the darkling in the middle of the road in a kneeled position. She swiftly gazed up to her enemies, all her shadow minions lead to waste by their efforts.

Their bodies showcased their fearless side, but their internal thoughts held a different story. All but Greninja and Zelda knew the foe they fought, a compassionless killer as bad as any other villain known. The darkness she controlled was not on the same level as her phazon variation, but her name alone put fear in the hearts of all warriors. Their battle stance further shaken by their enemy laughing to herself, straightening her posture.

"What excellent practice you specimens make, this body however….still foreign to me. Please….continue your futile efforts, for you'll hardly faze me."

Gardevoir's body radiated a white aura, growing more dense with her anger, "We don't come in the name of practice, cease thy ill actions and flee hence my blade shalt lay thee beneath the earth. Make thy decision swift!"

"Heh, reasonable enough options. Tell you what vermin, i'll ponder my choices during our struggle…..that being if you even survive against my weakened state."

"Then i'll choose for thee, burned to ash by the light thou shalt! Have at thee, phazon pig!"

Such righteous arrogance matched Dark Samus, irritating the darkling regardless. She screamed toward the heroes, from her thrusted out fingertips came several streams of black lightning. Swiftly crossing her swords together, such streams of energy clashed against the blades slightly forcing their master to slide along the ground. Biting down upon her teeth without notice, she numbed herself to everything but her arms utilizing all her might to keep her blades at bay. Lucario gazed upon the struggle for a short time before recklessly darting along the streams for his foe. Without deviating her attention for the psychic one's head, her gun fired off several shots of energy. They were only capable of scorching the earth, Lucario's reaction speed dodged their attempts at the last second. Leaping for her with his arm reeling back seemed foolish, the darkling merely rose her gun for his head. A close range shot struck his head, to Greninja's confusion somehow made him split into two somewhat transparent versions of himself. This was enough to grab the darkling's attention, turning her head toward the disappearing images made her ignorant of Lucario swiftly appearing below her.

Reeling both arms back, he struck the distracted darkling's abdomen with his palm. Whatever force his palms could generate forced Dark Samus off her feet roughly sliding across the ground along her back. With her quick rise, her gun fired off three large balls of dark matter that homed in on the jackal. Pikachu and Link came to his aid, all three preparing to stop their approach. Greninja spent the time to prepare himself mentally for this creature's nature, a quick glance over to Zelda revealed her absence. Eyes widened in worry, frantically looking around hoping they didn't miss a shadow. To his surprise Zelda much like Gardevoir teleported to the frontlines. The dark orbs rapidly closed the gap, the princess went about spinning in a circle generating an abundance of blue strips swiftly forming together. Eventually they came together encasing Zelda in a blue diamond shaped shield. Upon making direct contact, their momentum failed to pierce her magical defense as black sparks flew from their connection. For reasons unknown to Greninja, the orbs darted away from the shield toward Dark Samus with double the speed catching her off guard.

Each detonating in a great explosion, a gasp came from the black smoke enshrouding their foe. Her irritated scream protruded from the cloud, her being hovered rapidly through with her arm unleashing a blade once more. Both Link Gardevoir rushed in front of Zelda to strike this aggressor. Stopping both factions came a vortex appearing between the two, although the darkling saw a figure its appearance somewhat masked by the bright orange coloration. From within a sound unlike the usual from the vortex caused her to lower her guard. leaning in to possible view this figure, the rest keeping their distance in case of potential reinforcements. Whatever this new arrival was prompted Dark Samus to back away attempting to bring up her blade. Two beings engulfed in dense fire rammed into their foe, her scream faded with her being pushed straight toward the pool of water. After the massive explosion produced a shock wave, Lucario's tense expression gave way to a wide smile as he pumped his fist close to his chest. Whatever these figures were prompted Lucario to roar out his thoughts.

"Hell freakin yeah, about time you showed up."

Gardevoir was also filled with joy, gave a wide smile while shaking her head, "Flashy as ever, thou think they analyze the situation before entry."

From among the smoke rose fellow Chaser Charizard along with Infernape grasping around his neck. Within a moment's notice, he crash landed in front of them all giving off a tremendous roar shocking the princess. Charizard was the first to speak.

"Fighting the imposter….without the juggernaut? I would weep many tears if not filled with worry. Anyone severely injured?"

"What kind of question is that? One little clone can't kill us, you should expect this my friend, "With that both Charizard and Lucario bumped fists, the fire pokemon took the time to flex its skinny arms. "You must allow us to take down our own targets at SOME POINT, don't want the others growing frail would you?"

"Ha ha ha, you speak true words. It be troublesome for us to become skinny and frail like Gardevoir."

Gardevoir kept her smile, but her narrowed eyes expressed her true feelings along with slapping the back of Charizard's head, "ANYWAY, our knave is still among the living. Thou boasting shalt cease for now, please focus on what thou came to do."

Charizard proudly pounding his fist upon his chest, "You heard the lady, start marching fellow soldiers."

Gardevoir led the pack with the other pokemon following shortly after, Link and his fellow guards followed their princess. All the pokemon were seemingly in high spirits, for their foe had yet to make a move or sound within the darkened smoke. Looking back toward the humans held a more grim view, none were happy to approach this so called demon with their weapons still drawn. Greninja rushed himself to Gardevoir who luckily was unbothered by his presence.

"Ar…..are we still…..killing her?"

Gardevoir gazed over to him, "Hopefully."

"Ho….well jeez I know she is a very sinister person but…."

"Thou don't understand our point of view, this is no knave similar to those from our planet. Several planets still remain in horrible condition due to her ill actions, thousands of troopers lay dead due to her rule among the space pirates. Heed my words gentle ninja, the day she knows peace is when death gives it to her."

Unaware of the terrible deeds Gardevoir witnessed this being commit, he couldn't continue to look her in the eye and stared toward the ground for suggesting good will in her, "I'm…..i'm sorry, I suppose you would know better than me."

"No need for sorrys, thou speak from the heart which in your case is a wonderful thing to possess. I would actually pray for thy ignorance, make sleeping easier. Although I fear killing in thy future is inevitable, but thy shalt be trained and prepared for that day. For now though, allow us to do what we've trained for."

Greninja accepted this, but still felt a chill slither throughout his body. In an attempt to increase his own morale he tried to look at some positives. Sure the first time would be hard to handle, but eventually it would have to get easier. Also took into account that he himself held a good heart, only killing if he felt it was truly necessary. Looking back at how Pikachu is literally a fountain of goodwill, perhaps killing won't turn him into a merciless killer deprived of real emotion. Greninja and Gardevoir seemingly pulled ahead of the group by a bit, such knowledge made his heart leap when the darkling finally shouted.

"DAMN YOU CHASERS, "Massive tendrils shot out from the smoke, curving downward toward the group. Piercing the ground as if butter, the whole group scattered further with each strike. Men too close to the striking tendrils were launched off their feet, unscathed soldiers merely feeling the earth tremble prompted their retreat. Zelda and Link managed to evade safely. The two lead pokemon looked wide eyed upon several tendrils forming a barricade between them and their allies. Gardevoir tensed up, pushing Greninja behind her. He took several steps back preparing to provide aid, while water began to travel up his arm the smoke swiftly dispersed revealing the entire pool of water was covered in the dark flames where the tendrils protruded from. Dark Samus' aura reached a whole new level of big, capable of producing constant shockwaves that sent objects flying around. "DAMN YOU ALL, WORTHLESS WASTE OF CARBON!"

Hovering off the ground, she floored it straight for Gardevoir. The moment Gardevoir rose her sword, the darkling shot a swift blast capable of scorching her hand to the point of the sword flying from her grasp. Dark Samus rapidly approached, her blade looked as if it would beat Gardevoir's remaining defense. The thought of seeing her die right there made the whole world seemingly slow down. He couldn't utter a word, his body moved without any commands. Grasping onto the fleeing sword, he leaped over Gardevoir's head striking down with both hands. To him both of them were moving slowly, trying to strike down before her blade could reach her. Just when it was about to strike Gardevoir's side, Greninja slashed straight down the darkling's attacking elbow. When his sword hit the ground everything went back to full speed, his legs shaking to the point of being unable to stand. He gazed worriedly over to Dark Samus who reeled back in pain to her missing arm, attempting to cover the wound keeping the dark matter from spilling out.

Greninja gave up fighting his body, falling flat on his butt. All the dark flames dispersed along with the tendrils. The darkling stared solely upon Greninja.

"YOU…..YOU PRIMITIVE TOAD, YOUR DEATH WILL BE THE SECOND SLOWEST OF ALL MY VICTIMS. I'LL BURN YOU, AND THEN THE GREEN ONE WILL COAT THESE BUILDINGS!"

"I object to that notion, "Catching all of their attention, everybody's view gazed upon the hostile Zora that attacked Greninja before. With her arms cross, she stared down the darkling with Lopunny standing behind her who was equally as worried. She got nothing but wide eyes, more so from Greninja. As she began to approach she continued on. "Must all evil live under a rock, you don't stand among some type of cowardly grunt. You stand before a hero, one that has vanished an evil far more intimidating than you. And to speak so grandly with a loss arm, how can I even call you evil when you insult the very word with your incompetence….your incapability to know when you've lost."

"Oh…..perfect…..another lesser being decided to show up, no….more like waste to be honest….what's your name?"

"You think yourself fit to ask me my name, even more insulting that you don't already know it. With your currently suicidal mindset however, i'll grant you my loyal name as a parting gift. Ruto it is, princess of the Zora."

Such a statement made the darkling silent, the Zora stopped beside Link cheerfully smile up at him. Confused as he was, he still offered a weak smile for the greater good. Everybody stood in silence, the darkling finally being the one to break it.

"Uhhhhh….right…..I have no record of you woman."

"Enough foul creature, surrender to me now or be slayed by my champion, "She gazed up at Link with eyes of expectation. He pointed at himself, even more confused than before. Although this only made her burst into laughter which somewhat scared him. "He wonders why he must waste his time, seeing you can't even match a toad."

"Argh…..a weak royal who makes Link do all the fighting, why…..why another Zelda."

That statement broke Zelda, she trained her bow for her head, "Now look here….."

"ENOUGH, perhaps it did have some sense after all. How reckless it was of me to challenge you all when even my body is foreign to me. We all have many years ahead of us, what's the rush anyway, "With her hovering came a vortex appearing right below her, all except the Zora and Greninja trained their weapons on her. As she slowly sunk into the unknown, she spoke her last words. "Be warned Chasers, with my continued growth comes your countdown. Become familiar with regret, for when your worlds rots away under my corruption."

Upon casting herself completely into the void, it closed itself allowing everybody to relax. Although the tension rose again with the Zora speaking as if her presence was normal.

"Typical imp, throwing around such empty insults. I hold great power over my people, all it knows how to do is destroy. Makes me sick."

Greninja tried to confront the woman, his legs still wobbly after the surge of adrenaline worn out his body. Gardevoir wrapped his arm around him lifting him up as his support. Greninja was the first to question her.

"Isn't…..isn't that the…..bio-weapon?"

"Indeed."

"But…...why isn't she….."

"I don't know."

Considering she stood up to the darkling, Zelda tried to put on her best face to confront her, "Your bravery is admirable friend Zora, but Ralis should know better than to allow you to interfere alone with no weapon."

"Ralis…...never heard of him, I come on my own whim. Thanks to my adorable servant for directing me. A sudden urge coursed through me, I had to see….."

"Wait wait wait, you've…...never heard of Ralis, but he's the current KIng of the Zora. Now that I look at you more intently, you don't look like any Zora that i'm used to. Also what is the meaning of your title?"

The Zora rest her palm on her hips, gazing confusingly upon Zelda who offered the same look, "Ze…..lda, are you ill? I'm telling you there is no Zora named Ralis, I would have heard of such a name in my domain. All Zora look similar to me, there are none deviating from us. It must have been that darkling, you must be under a curse. It be the only reason you would forget my title."

"Wait…..so you know who I am?"

The Zora displayed shock as she covered her mouth with both hands, "Oh my goodness, she did manipulate your memories. Well no worries my friend, i'll set things right. You are Zelda, the princess of Hyrule. I'm Ruto, the princess of the Zora. Link is the hero who defeat the dark lord…..Ganondorf. After his defeat, you and I became close friends."

"I…..I see, and what of you and Link?"

"Oh him…...well, "She held herself tightly around Link's arm, Link just stared at her with wide eyes. "He is my husband."

In that instant Zelda lost her grip on her weapon along with every other soldier serving her. The Zora remained ignorant to their frozen minds, Greninja didn't quite understand the deafening silence coming from everybody. He expected such news to be rather normal on this planet, yet Link constantly moved his gaze down to his questionable lover and to Zelda. At the same time all the guards with Zelda said the exact same word.

"WHAT!?"


	5. Seeds of a new age

Smashing Entrepreneur

With the villager's minds cleansed of fear, the Chasers focused their attention on the thought to be bio-weapon. Gardevoir kept a strong leash on Lucario ensuring his anger didn't confuse the so called Ruto beyond reason. The match would prove to be a joke to witness, Link's mental state shattered by Ruto's news and Greninja's entire being depleted of energy prompted its dismissal. It was decided this would be discussed further back at Zelda's castle.

Greninja still had to be aided by Gardevoir, his body still suffering from the intense adrenaline rush. Despite this he was intrigued by the one-eighty this woman's personality just went through. Deeming her heartless and bloodthirsty, now walked with a sense of pride showcasing a warmer expression especially around Link. Even though her character was far more likeable than before, the eyes of Link's peers would shift constantly toward the two supposed lovebirds. Even Link would slowly look down upon the clenching woman, unbothered by the stares. It was as if he was dreaming and trying to will her away, his polite nature prevented him from just shoving her off. For the majority of the journey, he didn't need to see his peers to feel their gaze weighing down upon him prompting him to direct his own for the ground.

Entering the town seemingly made things worst for Link, the eyes of every single living being gazed upon the two. His face tightened to the fact of having to carry all their eyes, all adding up to be about an anchor which he was forcing himself to haul. Greninja recalled hiding within trees, watching how newlyweds embraced each other during their union. To see this was a contradiction, although she was an ally for the space pirates which was added to the fact that he didn't seem too worried about losing his spouse. Fortunate for Link, they escaped the eyes of the public. Entering the same chamber the Chasers stationed themselves, Lucario immediately questioned the Zora.

"Alright, first things first. What the hell are you?"

Gardevoir could only slap herself on the head due to his sudden interrogation, "LUCARIO, can thou please…."

The Zora as well seemed displeased with his words, narrowing her eyes his way, "I know not who you are, but I atleast assumed you weren't deaf. How many times must I say…..how much more clear can I be, I AM RUTO, the princ….."

"For the love of….quit the act, you're nothing of the sort! You have nerve creature, to attack the Zora like you did then act all innocent!"

"How do you side with my hero yet speak such nonsense, I never once rose my hand against my own, "Her patience rapidly worn thin, she crossed her arms aggressively swinging her shut eyes from his direction. "Such an ignorant unreasonable little pet."

It was made quite clear to everybody this relationship was going south in a hurry, biting down ferociously added with his anger prompting the aura within him to radiate densely, "PET…...IGNORANT, oh you have NO IDEA about anything do you? So damn lost in your own artificial world, I would almost take pity on you if I didn't know the DAMN TRUTH!"

Upon opening her eyes, she rested them upon the wide eyed Link who took a sole step backwards in anticipation. Her mood performed a one-eighty, nonchalantly shooing happily the aggressive pokemon away speaking in an almost child-like tone.

"Please do bark elsewhere pup, a grown-up needs time to catch up with her man."

The final barriers keeping Lucario intact fell, purple electricity crackled around him as he prepared his signature move aura ball. Pikachu had enough of his aggression disrupting their business, electric energy swarmed the mouse with his tail transitioning into a metal hardness. Looking as if ready to pounce, Pikachu showed off his teeth as well hoping to convey a message. Lucario remained unfazed by his tested temper, eyes remained fixated on Ruto who glanced over to the danger merely placing a hand on her hip. A lack of fear didn't slow the ball's growth.

"DIE…...BIO-WEAPON!"

Upon finishing his sentence, Gardevoir teleported beside him placing her blade inches away from his forehead, "I ORDER THOU TO CEASE!"

"YOU KNOW AS MUCH AS I DO!"

"May I convey to thee that thou wishes the destruction of our ONLY lead on the space pirates' progression."

Although everything within him insisted her destruction would be beneficial, the sting of this truth was greater than his instincts. Shutting his eyes in submission, both his aura and ball of energy shrunk until fully dispersed. Still insisting she was a bio-weapon, he refused to gaze upon her. He merely looked the other way crossing his arms. Able to pick up on Gardevoir's psychic speech, she looked favorably upon the pokemon.

"Ahhh yes, you must be their leader than. You carry yourself gracefully like Zelda and I, and remain far more reasonable too. It would also seem you've have Zelda and my husband's favor, in which case I apologize for not knowing your people ahead of time. Although I can't see how Link could possibly miss you, your weapon…..the level your magic has reached is beyond anything I could have dreamt. Ganondorf must have had seconds thoughts about conquering you. Please…..lay to me your name and that of your people."

"Oh….ummm…. i'm Gardevoir, we're all called Pokemon where we're from. Although we aren't….."

"Princess Gardevoir of the Poke…..mon, a race of warriors beyond that of Zora…...as hard as that is to admit. Such sorcery you possess must be praised, to speak to me without moving your mouth. Please continue to provide us your strength, seems a greater foe threatens us all."

Gardevoir stood in silence, rubbing her chin whilst in deep thought, "Do tell miss….Ruto, how did thou and Link meet?"

"Hmmm…..such a personal question, but I don't see the harm. Believe it all started when I lost a gift from my deceased mother."

"Such as?"

"Huh…..does it truly matter?"

"Forgive me for my invasion of thy personal business, but does thou recall waking within a sh…..chambers. Thou were being treated along with the rest of thy kind, just being sure thou suffered from no amnesia."

"Now that you mention it, my memory was foggy upon my awakening, "Attempting to conjure up other memories put strain upon her. Grasping her head failed to relieve herself of the pain she brought up. Finally she stopped trying. "My head…..very foggy, can't recall much beyond our union. Perhaps you're right, I may need a refresher on my history. The item of interest….was the Zora's sapphire."

"And how thou lose it?"

"Well….i'm sorry Gardevoir, you may be confused by our…."

"Fear not, i'm well versed in your kind's ways."

She could sense Ruto's disbelief, showing off a blank expression with her hands moving for her hips. Gardevoir kept a straight face, hoping to not throw her off. They continued their own discussion, Greninja unable to follow the situation. Understandably oblivious to everything they spoke of, Greninja rushed himself over to Lucario who still couldn't look toward her face. Greninja didn't speak with a calm tone, half expecting an unreasonable comment from him.

"Care to fill me in?"

Lucario gave a heavy exhale, turning toward the frog while speaking in a low tone, "Ruto…..was the ruler of the Zora."

"But isn't now?"

"No, that would be Ralis. Thing is if we go by Hyrule of today, Ruto should be long dead."

"What…., "Looking over to the talking Zora, anger coursed through him with the possibility of trickery or spying. "Then she's a clone."

"That's what i'm saying, an artificial being meant to tick us off. What has me concerned now is that the pirates don't have a strong idea on who Ruto is, how would they know to put the Zora's sapphire in her memories."

"Is it what the real Ruto had?"

"Yes, acted as a type of wedding ring for the one she chose to give it to. Confused that man with him"

"Then there was another Link…..who looked exactly like the one we know."

"There was, and it doesn't help that she doesn't remember trying to kill you. As much as I hate to admit this though, we should keep this information to ourselves until we can get everyone's input especially Arceus."

"So what the pup is finally starting to understand how to behave, that it's not always about killing."

Lucario eyes sharply narrowed, speaking in a critical tone, "Don't test me frog, let's not forget I get to train you as well."

Greninja merely rolled his eyes at the jackal, his aggressive nature threatened Greninja's attempt at inner peace. He couldn't come up with an idea on how to view the Zora, he couldn't trust her unconditionally like Zelda but couldn't bring himself to hate her similar to Lucario. He was raised by his kin on the concept of redemption, went his whole life obeying his teachings. Regardless of her history, the probability of gaining insight upon the space pirate's operation if her memories recover was well worth the risk. Although there was no questioning the pirates, their desire to kill was very apparent. When the time came, he needed to be ready to take a life.

Witnessing the Zora suddenly slap Link accompanied by the sharp piercing sound drove him out of his self induced trance, he stepped back in horror resting a palm upon his heated cheek with the Zora's narrowed eyes digging into him.

"What do you mean you don't have it, granted it has been so long since our last meeting but I expect more from my chosen one, "She rushed her finger to his chest, Link became that of a statue. "Such things are not small matters, that stone was a testament to our love. Either you find it or i'll force you to gather materials to make another one!"

Gardevoir felt bad for the confused woman, taking a deep breathe before lying down some of the truth, "I'm afraid there is no avoiding this, thou aren't where thou think this is."

"What? I respect your thoughts Gardevoir, but don't think me ignorant. Is this not Hyrule?"

"Of course it is, but the name isn't the issue. Reach deep into thou conscious, even among thy allies lies contradictions. Does thy recollection of Zelda fully match the one before thee?"

"Of course she does….I think…..well…., "Ruto hesitantly glared upon Zelda, it was quite disappointing for Gardevoir to see Zelda in such a confused state. Despite nothing making sense to her she still wore a smile to comfort her. Alas, her attempt progressively failed with the Zora's expression growing sadder. "Now that you mention it…..I don't remember her being a brunette, nor recall how…..still…..the air around her is."

Her comment stung Zelda for some reason, even though it didn't seem like a direct insult, "You sound disappointed."

"No…..well it's just…..I don't know really, I know you are the one I came to love. I just can't shake this feeling, you…..Hyrule…..even the grass we came across feel so familiar…..and yet….I feel….alienated. Could this be the work of that creature?"

"I'm afraid my memories remain intact, i'm under no spell."

"Then why…..why are you acting like this, how could no one know who I am? If this is your way of a joke it's working, yes…..my friend and husband denying my existence ACTUALLY does hurt. Now please knock it off!"

The distress within Ruto became clear to see, tears forming around her eyes broke Zelda's patience with the interrogation.

"I can't condone further probing, her confusion cannot be allowed to persist…..to be no better than the space pirates is unacceptable."

"WHAT!?"

Gardevoir spoke up, "She's right, there lies many mysteries surrounding our union. The sad fact of the matter is Link and milady don't do too well with jokes, their ignorance isn't artificial. I crave for thy full attention, for what I say will be completely foreign to thee. It pains me to ask for thy courage, to brace thyself for what I have to reveal. I swear it's for thy own good."

Ruto couldn't force herself to gaze over to Gardevoir, holding herself tightly to contain her rampant emotions. Her stricken narrowed eyes darted to Link, silently begging him for a favorable response. From the empty well that is their history, Link could offer no noise for her defense. Just gave her the same blank expression he gave her during their first encounter. The deafening silence disturbed her even more, looking over to Zelda who although seemed legitimately heartbroken still only offered silence which Ruto couldn't handle as long as she could with Link quickly glancing away. With no other options, her only method of avoiding this growing pain was to stare at the ground. Seconds of trying to calm herself gave her the courage to speak.

"I…..I don't think I have…..a choice…..do I?"

"Afeard not, i'll show thou all we possess of thy being. Link and milady shalt remain here for preparation, everything shalt be cleared where thou woke up."

"Very well, it's better that way."

Gardevoir continued to reassure her, how saddening it was to hear her responses become shorter each time until she began to merely nod. Leaving the castle with only somber feelings despite their victory against Prime, the energy within the Zora harshly stripped from her within an instant somehow proved somewhat demoralizing even to Greninja. As expected their fellow jackal showed no sadness for their guest, betrayal hanging high in his conscious. Greninja trailed behind the group, unsure how to feel considering he was clueless on the situation. Whatever the full story was, the fact that they were dealing with a clone gave him cause for worry.

Upon reaching their mobile home, Gardevoir wished to discuss the matter privately with Ruto. Insisting that Greninja fulfil a simple mission that was meant to be done before the incident. To be assisted by Pikachu, they were to travel to the Kalos region once more. They were to deliver a light blue rectangular metal box with the letters M.I.I written across it in bold black font. The excitement Pikachu's word's expressed showed he had previous knowledge of this item of interest. Lopunny, Gardevoir and even Lucario held high hopes for whatever it was saying he would find out when they met up with the client. This figure would be waiting within Lumiose City in front of the popular tower, went by the name professor Elvin Gadd.

Traveling via vortex, safely landing within the crowded streets of Greninja's favorite thieving area. Night hung over the shining city, not one cloud attempting to block the moon's view of several ongoing pokemon skirmishes. A slight chill ran across his skin, but nothing too major. No one seemed disturbed by a frog exiting a vortex wielding a metal box, nor any of the pokemon. Managing to grab some food before departing failed to keep the tantalizing tendrils of airborne food odors from tempting his mind into committing bad deeds. Street lights brightened the way forward to their tower, Pikachu ran ahead with Greninja struggling to keep up.

"So…..you know more than I do, what's so special about this box?"

"What you're holding will launch Smash into new heights, we've been doing everything within our power to see this through."

"Its to be used by us Smashers i'm guessing."

"Not this time, its for the public. It will allow them to Smash so to speak. Usually it's only the chosen champions who get to."

"Hmmm, the normal humans you mean. Can they even…."

"You'll see."

Surrounding the tower's entrance laid a swarm of human's in white labcoats conversing with one another. Two diverse humans gazed down upon a much smaller person with a sole strand of long white hair amongst his bare head. Grass being crushed beneath Pikachu's feet alerted the human, enthusiastically directing himself their way while leaping out of apparent joy. As the elder looking human approached, Greninja immediately knew he was not from this world for no human held such an odd figure as this one. Possessing a wacky set of glasses with the glass going in a spiral as if to hypnotize you. Held round ears, an ovalish nose, and a sole tooth stuck out from the mouth when he closed them. He spoke cheerfully in a high pitched tone.

"Finally, the fruits of our labor shall be revealed. My fellow mates been on edge waiting for our glorious contraption. My little mouse friend, please give your Arceus my greatest thanks for his support, "He gazed up toward Greninja, taking great interest in his physique. Steadily tapping all his fingers together in an attempt to appear as if he's studying him. "Ahhh, you must be the new chap they were referring to. right, the final evolution of Froakie correct. Yes, Sycamore has informed me of this region's pokemon and I must say what a marvel these creatures are to witness in the field. Now if you may please hand me the contents young chap, we all wish to proceed with testing immediately."

Elvin snatched it from his grasp, wasting no time in opening it swiftly. Two metal bracelets slept along a bright red pillow. The two diverse humans approached him, smiling in anticipation. A male brimming in youth with skin consisting of a dark brown complexion. Sporting basic attire of a black shirt, and gray pants. His hair took an interesting shape of a rock formation with three different colored jewels. Stood beside him was a younger looking female who seemed oddly familiar, an energetic girl with a ludicrously long blond pony-tail. Her attire was more specialized, consisting of a red and white coloration ending around her waist as a skirt. Fair smooth skin free of imperfections with her arms bare, holding onto roller blades colorized like her shirt. A white helmet remained strapped to her head, two more mini ponytails protruded from the holes within it. She rushed over to gaze upon the bracelets, joined by a nearby Lucario. Both their faces lit up, remaining googly eyed at Elvin's creation.

The actual band claded in pure white, the Smash symbol shined brightly within the middle emitting a blue glow sectioned off by dark lines forming the Smash logo. Such a beautiful item to behold, its mere presence disturbed the natural balance of his body. He stood calm and collected with his heart doing its job slower than usually, now among these creations gave his heart a wake-up slap. It felt as if slight electric currents traveled throughout his body as if paralyzed, but could still move without hindrance. The sudden rise in his body temp caused enough alarm for him to rush a palm to his chest, the nightly breeze became non-existent to him. He felt so oddly excited that it scared him slightly, little by little he found himself tapping his foot against the ground to dispel some of the rampant energy. Was this wave of energy keeping the human and Lucario fixated upon their figure, the same power capturing the attention of nearby pokemon. Elvin held it up proudly, chuckling at all the eyes his creations were receiving. He went about speaking in a highly exaggerated proud voice.

"You gaze upon a scientific version of the Holy Grail, a combination of both mind and spirit. This…..is code name…..Renaissance."

Grasped by the power which radiated profoundly from these items, the male joined the two in watching their symbol glow. The female began jumping up and down happily, the Lucario just as happily watched her. Snatching a bracelet from its resting place, she looked fiercely upon it. Speaking enthusiastically bracing herself to strap it on.

"Please tell me this is the Brawler?!"

"I'm afraid bonnie lass that both yes or no would be lying technically, for I have no clue."

"WHAT?!, "Her eyes flushed angrily at the professor, clenching both hands tightly as well as the bracelet. "HOW COULD YOU NOT KNOW YOUR OWN INVENTIONS, YOU EVEN BUILT IT FOR CRYING OUT LOUD."

Several seconds passed with the professor remaining unfazed, she gazed toward her one hand fiercely holding the bracelet. Her whole mood spiraled into embarrassment, her expression showing complete shock over her sudden change in demeanor.

"I…..i'm so sorry, I wasn't trying to crush it on purpose."

Professor Elvin merely laughed off the situation, "Oh my dear lass, so used to the softness of a pokeball aren't we. A much more durable and flexible alloy acts as its shell, and more…..unique elements as well."

She clenched the bracelet with both hands down to her waist, looking sadly down toward him, "Still…..shouldn't have yelled at you. I don't get upset easily."

"Its nothing more but the interesting properties taking root, affecting your mind it is. A little bit concerning for the weak minded, but after witnessing your rapid recover…..well I say you'll be just fine with a little exposure. Now allow me to explain, the one you are holding much like the other one has a random generator. Not only that, but they're linked. What one chooses will cause the other to pick the remaining one hundred percent of the time. I sent it to the Chasers to see if it functions correctly in our reality and that of Dreadzone. I have no say what it'll choose, but I say you have a fifty fifty chance of Brawler."

"Fifty…..fifty, what's the other one?"

"I believe Gunner."

"You said you made three, what about the Swordsman?"

"Ahhh, already tested with great success."

The male intervened showing just as much interest in his work, "Another gym leader i'm guessing."

"Correct, another bonnie lass by the name Valerie. She took me by surprise, apparently the unique elements of these bracelets led her from her gym to my workshop where I was stationed on this planet at the time. She insisted she be the first test subject, did pretty well against the Blue Bomber fella. The results were astronomical, every strike…..so precise….and her form…..almost parallel to masters of the craft. Not to mention the increase in physical strength, aggression, and greater sense of awareness. It was like watching a whole new person, it was quite exhilarating."

"Wait…..the changes are that great, what will it do to us exactly?"

"I could go into the scientific details with all the genetic coding of pokemon's spontaneous cells and major additions to the hippocampus. Lets just say much like your pokemon counterparts, you too shall evolve."

"WHAT!, "The girl put on a smile so wide, the bracelet within her grasp glowed more densely. Rushing the item onto her wrist, despite being a little too big it swiftly shrunk itself to her size automatically. "Come on, tell me how to work this thing?! I wanna try this baby out RIGHT NOW!"

Elvin found much enjoyment from her eagerness, "Such youthful energy, a fantastic candidate for this test. I designed its functions similar to your mega bracelets, need I say more?"

Frantically shaking her head, she pressed two fingers upon the blue symbol. A red pulse emitted from the center, producing a transparent blue aura. An unexpected twist came in the form of her blood vessels emitting a bright green glow through the skin prompting her arm to shake. From the bracelet this strange green glow traveled up the arm, her widened eyes followed the green trail causing a tingling feeling along the way. She gave off a worried smile, trying to resist sounding worried.

"Ummm…..this is just the normal procedure…..yeah...that's right….normal, "

Upon feeling its presence swimming along her neck, her increased heart rate only sped up its traveling. This strange substance spread throughout her head, her scared expression grew into a smile. She began chuckling to herself, moving the affected arm as if nothing was wrong. The male didn't seem too convinced she was entirely sane, reaching out to her.

"He…..hey, you good…..nothing hurting?"

"Are you kidding, I FEEL GREAT. It's like all the fatigue high tailed it out of my body."

Her entire body became engulfed in a bright light, everyone except Elvin kept their distance more worried than surprised. Dissipating just as quickly as it begun to shine, her normalish attire utterly switched out for futuristic armor which prompted the expected arousal of Elvin's fellow mates. Claded in an unknown white alloy from shoulders to toes, colorized mostly white with a multitude of red lines traveling from the back curving upward for her neck. Radiating brightly the Smash symbol laid embedded in her chest, casting a luring blue haze. Small spikes protruded from the sides of her smooth leggings, metal boots seemingly wore over them. Her new presence radiated a intimidating sensation, all hairs stood straight up from this electrified air.

Kneeling on one leg, gauntlet covered arm pierced the earth with her newfound claws. Replacing her right arm now held a dark blue bulky arm cannon with artificial blood vessels traveling down to where the gun began. Gradually getting up, blue electric currents swam up her arm. The will of this bracelet affected her mind judging by her terrifying chuckling she held no problem emitting amongst her peers. Her crazed eyes were for all to see, looking upon her foreign gun with the chamber emitting a blue haze from within the chamber. Greninja couldn't help but shiver from this sudden change in demeanor, to look upon child-like wonder with such innocent eyes now corrupted by this determined sadistic expression breed by great evil. Even Pikachu backed away slowly, although when all eyes went to Elvin he remained unfazed even happy by her radically transformation.

"Success…..such wonderful success, but that's only the first step my dear. Tell me dear…..how you feeling?"

Swiftly looking his way, she fired off a shot with the biggest grin on her face, "It fires on my command…..that's all I care about! Though…..for granting me such a gift….i'll humor you, i've never felt better….so much POWER! Evolution's sweet embrace, such warmth…..courses through my veins! My test subjects…..bring them to me, for their strength pales before mine!"

"OH CRIMINY BISCUITS, there is no denying the genetic trait that's now imbedded in you."

The remaining gym leader felt the project wasn't the success Elvin made it out to be, his approach to calm the leader ceased with her wondering crazed eyes locking onto his promptly turning him to stone. Holding anger but unwilling to lash out to his gun wielding friend, he vented some of it to the professor.

"WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS, WHAT DOES GENETICS HAVE TO DO WITH THIS?"

"Tsk tsk tsk, oh Grant my boy…..in a world filled with creatures with devastating prowess capable of changing even the weather I would expect a little more bravado to such things, "Seeing all his anger flash throughout his face, Elvin adjusted his glasses before continuing. "You see my chap, I took into account that a person's nature may prevent them going all out if deemed necessary. Through magical and scientific means, I was capable of implanting parts of genetic codes that made up a personality into the bracelet. This was meant to help the user fight, each with a minor artificial intelligence that picks from these strands that best suits the individual. Clearly she has codename Overlord strand, an aggressive personality who destroys all obstacles with brute force."

"What…..I can't approve of a completely different personality dictating our actions, this is crazy."

"Calm down young chap, it's merely to help you fight. It makes her aggressive, not a mental takeover. With enough exposure her true personality will overcome the aggressive strand. The trouble it would cause if an evil personality took over, she still has her own judgement to a fair degree."

"I don't know, when does it come to a point where science climbs a mountain too high for its own good."

Another shot disrupted his stance, fearfully staring upon the Overlord, "Nonsense, you dare volunteer with the will of a pebble…..to be stepped over without effort! Rise to fit the challenge of a mountain, and wear the bracelet of power! If what he says is true, then the odds of you gaining my newfound will is slim! Wear the item quickly now, alas your body succumb easily to their attacks…..or mine if you so desire!"

A debate over the matter would prove futile, everybody knew this to be true. Taking a deep breath in preparation for the worst possible scenario, hesitantly reached for the bracelet. This unknown sensation pulsing up his arm made his arm shake, possible holding the same emotion as Greninja whose eyes gazed narrowly toward the crazed gym leader. Had it not been for Elvin's explanation, his katana would already be drawn. Such nonchalant aggression brought back nightmarish memories of Ruto. Death was so simply to her, all forms of aggression after that now formed a slight bias of being lethal. Finally the bracelet slipped onto his wrist, foolishly glancing over to the female whom occupied herself with her metal claws skiing slowly across the gun's frosty surface. Grant mustered up the courage to remain true to his real nature, upon pressing the button his veins rapidly became consumed by the green substance. Taking over the head, his body emitted a bright glow consuming the whole body.

Unwilling to take chances considering all he went through in such short time, three mini shurikens formed in one hand. Greninja's attention was drawn to a cold hand laying on his leg, he glanced down to see Pikachu staring intently on his shurikens. He went about trying to explain his reasoning.

"I'm just being prepared is all."

"Prepared, "Pikachu's ears fell to their lowest point, began patting his leg. "Keep in mind this isn't a hostile mission, not like Rool."

"Oh trust me, I know that. At first glance this mission was a cakewalk, but that girl on the other hand…..the way she speaks…...doesn't she remind you of that Prime creature. I mean…..can the professor truly be trusted?"

Pikachu understood the feelings coursing through Greninja, but knowing the ending his path held prompted him to put on his serious face, "I got three words for you, Lucario trusts him."

"Solid argument, can't fight it."

"I've worked long enough with this guy to know he can be counted on. One could say his inventions are…..odd, but he's no mad scientist."

"Even with that said, i'll remain on guard."

The big reveal was upon them, unveiling his true form held a futuristic sight equal to his female counterpart. Consisting of a gray coloration which shined brightly among the mobile lights cleansed of any earthly faults, a disrupted image of themselves revealed along his plating remaining somewhat recognizable. Easily seen around the waist, a black flexible material hid behind its alluring rigid exoskeleton. Consuming Grant's body leaving his head untouched for the time, acting as a one piece. The blue Smash symbol as expected layed active on his chest pulsating its energy through eight artificial blood vessels pumping cobalt energy up towards his neck. Apparently satisfied with the results, Greninja could happily dissolve his shurikens to the sight of a joyful Grant. Also satisfied with his work, Elvin leapt off the ground pumping his fist through the air.

"OH JOY…...OH GREAT JOY, transformation went off without a hitch. Congratulations youngsters, you're now officially MII Fighters."

Grant's curiosity about the name pulled him away from his now obsessive admiration of his armor, "Is that the official name, what does the acronym stand for?"

"Multi Identity Incarnate, a newly reborn body taking the form of a warrior. The bracelet looks into the user's soul, creating a costume that matches the user's ideals. These test bracelets only use futuristic designs, but gaze about the difference. A cowboy, valiant knight claded in golden armor, an assassin, merely a few options the bracelets will consider."

"You really outdid yourself my friend, but why aren't I feeling a difference with my…."

"Oh….your psyche, must have been shivering to the thought so much you negated its effects slightly. The one time you're a timid young fellow is the day it proves useful, how convenient. Now with these bracelets your power may equal, or may even surpass your pokemon allies."

The swift gaze of the woman's fearsome eyes froze her ally Lucario, "Excellent, would make great practice for the both of us. I'll take great joy from her mega form!"

The ongoing struggle against her reasoning made itself clear through expression, the shaking Lucario hesitantly raising her arm nodding in approval wearing the most conflicted smile. Blinded to her partners struggle, the aggressive woman took her sights toward Elvin.

"Now spare us of your vast information, where shall my gun be pointed?"

The same thought passed through their minds simultaneously, both Elvin and the woman held Greninja and Pikachu in their sights. A growing sensation of irritation showed among his narrowed eyes on having to fight the crazed woman who seemed too eager to cause them pain. Both the pokemon glanced upon one another, still as optimistic as ever the Pikachu was wielding a pure smile.

"We're going to have to tackle them don't we, it's why we're here?"

"You know it."

Elvin went up to them, "My froggy friend, you seem to be quite healthy for a random pokemon off the street. Not even mentioning the inspiring victory against the Mac chap, you're definitely not dependant on trainer's advice that's for sure. Now…..onto the test, you'll be having a Smash match against one of our youngsters. The professors will be gathering data whilst I get front row, fitting for the creator after all. One stock is all that's needed, but to save on time we'll have two matches going down. Now this mostly applies to Pikachu, but don't go maximum power against these youngsters. You can still try to win don't get it twisted, but please…..we don't need them tender. So Greninja…..with that said, who would you like to scuffle with?"

Having to choose between the two would prove fairly simple, even the mere thought of engaging another crazy aggressor prompted his eye to twitch slightly. This Grant fellow would prove to be more his level anyway, he pointed to the Brawler which Elvin responded quickly to.

"Brawler eh, a rookie such as yourself would do better with a more….sensible opponent. Guess that leaves Pikachu with Korrina, but once again my mouse friend….try not to completely dismantle the lass."

Amused by the comment, Korrina emitted blood red electrical currents throughout her entire body laughing to the situation, "This Pikachu…..I know you, defeated my Lucario a while back! Heh heh heh, Superior Four huh…..no professor….he shall fight with no restriction! Come little one, you'll make for decent target practice!"

She never failed to send chills down Greninja's spine with each comment, although looking down at Pikachu who remained unnerved but actually pumped by such scare tactics. A smug smile accompanied by electric currents flying around his battle stance showed his confidence, one might suspect the two would begin fighting at any minute prompting the professor to rush with the preparations.

"Alright alright, simmer down youngsters. Grant and Greninja go to the left, you other chaps to the right."

Pikachu and Korrina instantly obeyed, shocking both their partners on how swiftly they moved for their fight. Grant could only shake his head about the Overlord strand, moving ahead to his objective followed by the curious Greninja. Wielding the same worry over their partners, they both gazed to their opposites firmly strapped to in their battle stance. Eyes locked to one another remaining undistracted by nearby skirmishes between trainers. Greninja's fantazy of gaining a victory against Pikachu seemed very distant, a small creature looking dead at a hostile woman pointing a gun straight toward him clearly wasn't a pushover. Following the hand signs by Elvin to go further, they eventually reach their site. Within the tree's bushy air came two Dreadzone units, flying to their own set of fighters. The usual procedure of Dreadzone's operations proved no surprise to Grant, appearing as if he held knowledge of Smash.

Engulfed by the inner workings of Dreadzone's alternative reality, Elvin's behavior similar to a jackpot player watching the lottery pumped his fist. Finding joy with Grant's body continuing to perform unhindered. Entering his battle stance with his enemy, fists tucked close to him. The smirk Grant gave off unnerved him, glad he was preparing for a good time although an unknown enemy always did give cause for concern. An alien atmosphere this Grant fellow voluntarily exposed himself to, completely relaxed uttering not one word which Greninja could respect. Elvin rose his hand, the sound of excitement escaping him drawn their attention.

"REEEEAAADDDY, "Greninja's posture much like the waves persuaded by calm winds moved within rhythm, Grant rapidly expelling the sudden overflow of energy swimming throughout his body. "Goo…"

Greninja's next move halted violently by an explosion grabbing both him and his opponent's attention. Watching in awe to Pikachu within a second dashed across the ground evading Selena's quick draw. Her craving for violence unchanged, several more rockets launched from their master making a bee-line for Pikachu. In an act of showing off in an impressive manner, he dared not blink or miss his reaction speed go to work. Before each missile could collide, it could only hit a mere afterimage as the real one cleared it completely. Greninja and Grant couldn't fathom how swiftly Pikachu closed the distance, a wave of electrical currents failing to keep up with their leaping master. In his final leap overshooting an incoming missile, his tail claded itself in iron reeling back for Korrina. With a smirk, she leapt over Pikachu's assault. In the middle of her forward flip, both their eyes met. Upon gaining distance her gun directed itself for him, another rocket flew out at full speed. Pikachu forced his attack to strike hard enough to shatter the earth beneath him slightly, but bouncing Pikachu back through the air. With his newfound momentum, his tail swirled around striking the missile through its midsection bending it into sparking electrical currents. He forced the missile upward, exploding shortly after.

Elvin took time from watching their spectacle to notice the other two so invested into this fight they neglected their own. Elvin leaped for their attention, their wandering eyes eventually caught their host.

"Spectating is fun, I know this all too well. Although you chaps need to put on a show as well."

Forcing themselves from their partner's fight, they nodded to one another before sprinting off. Water formed around his hands taking the shape of katanas, with a spontaneous thought Grant launched himself overhead reeling his one leg completely vertical. Thoughts of a counter attack ceased to his foot engulfing itself in flames. Falling straight down like a meteor, Greninja back flipped out of danger's way. Upon landing, chunks of earth flung themselves far from the impact zone. Maintaining his cool, Greninja crossed his weapons leaping for his enemy. Grant's expression remained the same, as the frog blades lashed out for his chest he bent over backwards barely evading them. With the frog swiftly passing over him, his implanted foot freed itself where he begun to do backflips after Greninja. Greninja drifted himself into seeing his approaching opponent upon landing, trying his hardest to ignore his partner's explosive struggle lighting up the park. Grant launched himself high up with his legs, swinging around an intimidating leg now engulfed in a cobalt inferno. Grant once again came hurling down toward him, his swords rose into a defensive position. Such great force lead by his strike, Greninja's arms shook rapidly trying to keep his guard from shattering. Since his guard wouldn't move, the force propelled his whole body toward Dreadzone's field. A quick glance over to the transparent shield slowly revealing its texture prompting him to freak out, his focus off balance weakened the swords indicated by fractures appearing throughout.

Noticing this growing weakness quickly enough, Greninja bent himself back as Grant broke through his defense gliding over him. Straightening himself out, a glance behind him held his enemy already recovering from his failed attempt now going in for a low sweep. Leaping from harm's way, large water shurikens took form. Upon throwing them, Grant kept his cool taking two steps forward. One flaming punch outright destroyed the first, the escaping water evaporated just by being close to him. His second jab came out fast, perhaps too fast for the shuriken curved itself upward right over his strike. A moment of it grinding away at his neck, only experienced a short glide before coming back down. Grant bewildered by his glowing wound began rubbing it paying the frog no attention, Greninja seeing an ignorant enemy prompted the thought of a quick victory. Approaching his enemy by a ninja's grace, his weapons prepared themselves to become his end. His intense focus disrupted once more to Elvin's frantic hopping about, yelling to him.

"Oy oy oy, not one person enjoys anti-climatic endings. By chance you defeat him the non-cheap way, for science of course."

Recalling his previous comment of Pikachu's skill, he respected the scenario offering Grant his space. Witnessing Dreadzone's promise of healing rather fatal injuries, the silent warrior brushed off the incident hopping back up rising his guard. Taking long strides for Greninja, his first jab came too swiftly to counter having to lean his head. Grant unleashed a flurry of strikes giving Greninja a run for his money. Barely finding himself capable of directing himself out of harm's way, he found his own attacks being easily swatted by merely striking at the leading limb. Blocking his partner's battle from his conscious, he took several breaths between the clashes to sharpen his concentration. An opening appeared, his katana came down for his chest. Quick reflexes directed Grant's hand for it, consuming itself in flames his palm stopped his assault in its tracks.

Unwilling to show it through expression, Greninja's internal thoughts ceased. Staring upon his hand keeping his blade at bay, but not directly doing so. By a small distance, the flames themselves pushed against it. Grant wasn't as well trained in the way of Smash, freely showcasing his own wide eyes to what his body was capable of. Their wondering eyes catching each other drawn Grant from his moment of awe, putting on a fierce face flying his remaining now flaming fist down for his head. Greninja hastily rose his blade into his exposed palm, slightly intimidating on how much stress Grant's force put on him. A sudden headbutt sent Greninja stumbling back, followed by rapid punches into his abdomen. Masterfully maintaining his momentum, Grant forced his one leg high into his enemy's chin adding more hurt by slamming it straight down on his head. A swift spin tipped off with a forceful kick into Greninja's abdomen sent him flying back. Still very much in focus with the will to win, as he slid across the terrain he propelled himself upward with his arms. Preparing himself upon landing upright, the airborne Grant came spinning down for him. His flaming kick collided into his upper body, the expectation of his opponent to go flying was shot down by an explosion of smoke. Putting up his guard within the smoke proved futile, painfully finding his head burying itself into the terrain. Greninja stood arms crossed upon his head, leaping off swiftly before his enemy could attempt to reach out.

In need of revenge, Grant scrambled to his feet leaping in chase. Bursting through the veil, Greninja and Grant's eyes met reeling his flaming arm back. Greninja shot his hands back, a blast of water shot out from them both turning him into a torpedo. Grant attempted to strike prematurely, but unfortunately made undone. Greninja's head collided with Grant's, although it wasn't without recoil. While gliding over his stunned enemy, he grasped his head pulling him up. Once their battle hardened gazes were locked, Greninja slapped both hands on his chest utlizing hydro pump to propel him upward whilst his opponent shot straight down. Grant rapid descent resulted in blurry vision when he reached Earth, pieces of grass took time to rest upon his hair with their descent. His iron will lifting his body up ended up being pierced back down by two swift katanas raining down directly through his shoulder blades. Biting down hard from irritation, reaching to free himself. Unwilling to give his enemy time to breathe, Greninja landed upon his chest striking down both hands upon the blades burrowing them deeper.

Grant's hands were consumed by dense flames nearly completely cloaking the source, aware of this dangerous he took to the air ripping out his blades. Wildly twisting his body to strike the fleeing Greninja, merely punching the battlefield. Gaining proper footing with eyes solely on Grant, his blades glided low across the terrain looking to strike their foe. Seeing his slippery annoyance rushing for him once more, angry spread along his face added with an exhale so fierce one could slightly see it. Breaking from his angered trance gaining a kneeling position, his one arm reeled back engulfed in blue flames. Taking so many hits made Grant's seemingly natural inner peace unbalanced, predicting his next move he rose his posture slightly with his approach. His opponent rushed straight up, his fist flying out with flames trailing behind. Utilizing his great momentum, sliding beneath his strike he struck through his abdomen with both blades.

This proved to be a fairly simply match, although a sliver of guilt hung over him having to fight a human harboring an alien body in a foreign reality. Seeing no need to look back immediately, the thump of his opponent falling over proved his safety. Curiosity made him look regardless, his enemy once again kneeling over grasping onto his glowing wounds. Elvin came over to their Dreadzone's outer field, speaking to Grant.

"Tuckered out already youngster?"

Grant chuckled to the comment, shaking his head, "Not one bit, just…..taking it all in."

"Perfect, while you're at it might as well inform me of your condition. Tell me, how does your body feel."

"Well….ignoring the obvious, better than my actually body."

"Ahhhh…..good good good, and I must ask about the pain. Intense enough for ya?"

"Very…..damn, any chance you exaggerated on the stabs?"

"Oh my dear boy, stabs wounds are supposed to be intense ya know….I suggest avoiding them. Although I ask for one more thing, I need for you to think about what percentage you are on and that of Greninja."

"Per…..centage, oh….ok, "Rubbing two fingers across his head, gazing down where all fighters typically look for their percentage. Respecting the pause of battle, Greninja's blades dissolve lowering his guard. Letting his body reset itself, he approached the Grant with no ill intention. His concentration set free, he gazed upon his partners struggle which remained as tense as when it first began. A horrific beating was given to his planet, craters littered all over like trash with all the trunks within Dreadzone's field robbed of their upper half. Although their destruction seemed to favor Pikachu, sadly they had to watch their significant other blasted apart by Korrina's bright energy shots. Looking back to his own opponent, Grant found interest in whatever hung over his head. Of course the percentage he held was the reasoning, although it didn't sit too well with Grant now wearing a defeated expression. "It….works."

"Splendid, and the numbers please."

Grant narrowed eyes looked to the ground, his usually confident voice trailed off into a submissive tone, "I'm ninety-three, he's…..twenty."

Greninja felt very bad about this fight, for a newcomer to be that far from victory. It was an expected outcome, for he himself had to deal with the exact situation. Elvin seemed more interested in Greninja being suddenly.

"My dear watery chap, I wish to know that Dreadzone's numbers sent to him are the same as yours. Of course you can't see his numbers, but see if what he said matches."

With that said, his numbers instantly showed up. Above his chest held a number twenty with a sad ninety-three hanging over Grant. A mere nod had Elvin leaping in joy once more.

"Marvelous…..marvelous indeed, the other chaps numbers matched as well. Finally, an errorless trial of all subjects have come to pass. My dear youngsters, this is his….. "Grabbing onto all their attention spans, a massive explosion blinded the three. With its disappearance, Greninja lowered his hand revealing a lone dirty Pikachu aggressively breathing among the destruction. Elvin's snapping fingers brought back his attention. "Oh goodness, Dreadzone is going to have a lot of cleaning up to do. Pardon my intervention, such questions need to be asked. RESUME NOW!"

To be so close to his enemy with a client like this already made him wary, arms crossed he glanced over to Grant's flaming fist flying for his face more determined than ever. Upon contact he burst into smoke, thinking he was being clever this certain trick caught him off guard. Before his arms could rise in defense, his face was dealt a forceful blow. Through the veil Greninja flew with his extended foot launching Grant high off the ground. Having been close to the field, Grant didn't possess much time to think before his body detonated upon impact. With his disappearance, Elvin chuckled to himself shaking his head.

"Youngsters, couldn't even land a cheap attack. Although considering you're no pushover, a quick battle was inevitable. Nice work my watery chap, you aided a world changing project. Once Dreadzone makes the repairs, i'll still need your ears."

Greninja watched the geezer skip happily back to his fellow workers, shifting of textures gave signs to Dreadzone's functioning. Floating down from a hovering disk, Grant and Korrina now in their original attire warped into reality. Having to go through more foreign nonsense clearly put a toll on their minds, having to sit upon their ride for a while in a dazed state. Finally, they forsakened their disk although failing to land properly. Grant was laid out among the grass, struggling to gain the urge to lift himself. Due to his nature Greninja respectfully offered his hand, Grant able to make it to his knees eventually turned down his aid.

"Don't worry, i'm fine…..really I am. Just…..just a little bit out of it is all, thanks though."

Dreadzone began its retraction, any disturbed detail even a bent piece of grass slowly reverted back to its original point. Easily seen with Pikachu's side, as if time itself instantly went into reverse. Craters glossed over by undisturbed fields of flora, the deaths of trees erased by instantaneous rebirth to their proper glory. Upon seeing this gave Grant the inspiration to lift himself fully, watching his world basically heal itself.

"Wow, I heard stories of such things but…...i've always thought it was exaggerated."

"Oh my dear boy, you have not the slightest clue. Every scientist to our knowledge wished to gaze upon the inner workings of Dreadzone. Its because of this machine that the chaps from this world were so quick and eager to fund my Renaissance project."

Korrina and Pikachu came soon enough, Korrina still dazed from her rebirth. E. Gadd continued his joyful speech of the bracelet. Pikachu patted Greninja's leg offering him the thumbs up upon him looking down.

"This is only scratching the surface, just from your words alone we've discovered its medical applications. Just think of its popularity, the bonnie lass here practically begged to be a test subject. That's ignoring the fact it has been long requested by spectators, everyone and their elderly chaps will have one. Grant my boy, you may be looking at a secondary career as a Mii leader."

As intense as the battle proved to be, he couldn't help but smile at the possibility followed by the joy spreading throughout Korrina, "Know what….I actually wouldn't mind that, as long as I get to test the other two out."

"Oh don't worry young chap, each bracelet will be capable of all three forms. Now i'm still in need of you two, but you my dear animal friends need to tell Arceus that this was a fantastic success. Smash is about to undergo an evolution of its own, we must prepared for its spontaneous growth."


	6. Alienation

Shallow Pond: Alienation

Mere recognition was a game for the patient, a fact of life that Greninja soon came to understand. A seemingly exciting journey came in the form of his first fight against Little Mac, being known throughout another world was quite exhilarating being his first time within the spot light. Three days passed by in an agonizingly slow pace with nothing coming from other champions, even the cruelty exhibited by Gardevoir's wired minions couldn't shake off the feeling that people were not interested with him. Although patience was a virtue that would prove to be beneficial, it would be quite embarrassing to fight opponents way beyond his talents.

Good news did come from his previous battle with the gym leader, apparently without his knowledgement camara's broadcasted both fights all over Kalos. Ironically despite losing still brought in frantic customers, sitting within the ship's lounge area in front of the med bay a massive hologram displayed several screens all over Kalos. Within these short two days E. Gadd managed to sell a few bracelets, such heartwarming smiles were present among all screens. It seemed as if the Gunner variation would be the most popular, which didn't sit too well with him. Tugging at his lower back, he was thrilled to see Ralts providing him company.

"Hello, "Teleporting immediately after greeting his savior upon the table's surface, sitting along the edge beside Greninja. Levitating beside him was a rather large piece of paper wrapped over itself. "Are you sad, you've haven't spoken to anyone today."

"I'm decent, but how you know I didn't speak to anyone? You've been watching me?"

Ralts lowered his head, "I wasn't trying to stalk you, I swear. I wanted to show you my drawing, but you seemed a bit down. I figured it was a bad time, so I just….waited."

Moved by his worry for him, Greninja rubbed his head slightly putting a smile on his face, "You never have to worry about approaching me, but as of now i'm not upset about anything. I was just thinking is all."

"Oh ok, i'm glad to hear it."

"So…..what of this drawing?"

"Oh right, "Slowly his latest art hovered over, lying in front of Greninja with the white aura dissipating. "I overheard talking about your last fight, it was…..Little….Mac right. I saw the whole thing, I just knew you win. Anyway, this drawing is from that fight. Go on, have a look."

Nothing going on in his life could make him turn down his number one fan, he went about unfolding it with no expectations. Holding a small bias due to his small stature, the picture he gave witness to left him speechless. Gazed wide eyed at the unbelieve skill demonstrated by his little friend, details upon details showcasing Greninja and Little Mac engaged in combat. Absent of color, Mac was drawn in the middle of an uppercut merely clipping Greninja's chin whom leaned backwards with two water katanas in hand. Where his dark blue skin would be remained in a darker tone drawn over what appeared to be pencil, even the stage itself was highly detailed right down to the segments along the ropes. The audience cheering him on remained as barely visible shadows, lightly shaded areas taking the shape of a star showcased the abundance of cameras. It was almost as if he could remember the very moment Ralts captured, every feature of Greninja captured and scaled perfectly.

Ralts waited patiently for his respond, although Greninja remained fixated upon all the details. Ralts began frantically waving, finally grasping his attention.

"Well…..how you like it?"

"It's….ummm….good…..very good, must have…..spent a lot of time on it."

"Of course, wanted it to be perfect."

"Oh yeah, yo…..you got that part down. I hang this in….."

"Oh no, I wasn't done yet. Still needs color."

"Ver…..very well than, "He proceeded to wrap it up. "Must say i'm quite impressed, please do give me the finished product."

Levitating the drawing beside him, he still kept to his position. His joy soon gave way to a straight face, radiating with somber.

"Greninja…..you were thinking about the Zora, weren't you?"

"Ahhh, you know about that?"

"Gardevoir spoke with her for a long time, there was a lot of yelling and….."

"Yelling…..they didn't fight did they?"

"I wasn't in the room, more like just…..overheard it. Didn't sound like there was fighting, at least…..I think there wasn't."

"Ok…..did they calm down, what happened when they finished?"

"Well….., "Lowering his head, he became hesitant constantly stuttering on the same word. He eventually came up with the reasoning. "I don't know if I should tell you."

"You can trust me Ralts, I only wish to help."

"Ok…..ummmm, she ran out crying. I didn't want to embarrass her so…..that's why."

"Very considerate of you, but where is she now?"

"I don't know, I didn't want to upset her so I just….you know…..stayed away. Maybe…...Gardevoir would know, want me to get her attention?"

"Yes please, need something to do anyway."

Ralts grasped his head, his whole body emitted the common white aura. Quite comforting it was to hear their captive held a somewhat passive mindset, despite this fact their initial meeting still gnawed at his mind. If he was to believe Lucario, than this Ruto is a mere carbon copy, a fake. Though why did her misfortune pull at his heart, almost as if her reactions were genuine. Behind closed doors, incidents apparently began sprouting among all the worlds. Hyrule being the first to suffer from this strange change in events, even without the words of those within the ship the incident at Lake Hylia made it clear it was nothing usual. Zelda almost seemed as if she never had to deal with such aliens before. There were a lot of I don't knows for his liking, but that gave him more reasons to see everything in a different light.

Pulling him from his internal thought, Gardevoir's voice echoed throughout his head somewhat pleased to have been thought of.

"Greninja, what ails thee?"

"It's about...uhhhh…...Ruto was it, I wanted to know where she was?"

"Gentle ninja, paranoia shalt come anon if thou allow her to fright thee. Thou art merely too cautious, methinks thy last true engagement still haunts thee."

"I would like to believe my suspicions are justified considering what happened. Lucario told me about her….history."

"Oh."

"If i'm going to be a Chaser, than I can't just let her be left unattended. Everyone is off doing something else, i'm been doing nothing but training. Now with this copy running around, it's best I keep her in my sight since no one trusts her!"

"Huh…., "Only confusion stirred within Greninja with her sudden silence, further puzzled by her genuine laughter. "A meteoric rise, a path destined weaved by thy mere disregard for the steady way."

He knew she was making fun of his impatience, simply crossing his arms with rolling eyes, "Uh huh, care to go into deeper detail?"

"Little Mac was thy first true foe, a victory worth talking about sure. A new threat in the form of space pirates, challenged their oppression selflessly….admirable. Though…...understand gentle ninja, a sole fighter among thy list of victories he was. Thy engagement with the menace…..reckless, thy burning life almost extinguished by an equally devilish foe. In our foe's eyes, part of an abundant species thou art…...one that they've killed without thought. Moving too quickly shalt lead thee to a swift demise, or a humiliating defeat by a certain angel."

"Thanks for the reminder."

"Nay greatness shalt come forth through the path of doubt either, believe in the intentions of I. Thy steady rise remains important, for thy skill among the arena shalt equal thine abilities upon the field. Bare in mind thy arrant loyalty is commendable, highly appreciated by I. Truth be told, this…..Ruto possesses an intellect merely equal to the previous version. Thought to be dead, her presence is…..disconcerting. Our….guest has taken a liking to Lopunny however, remaining as her overseer. If thou wish to act as a co-partner, than I suppose thou shalt be granted such until given a proper mission. Hylia Lake, thy first encounter."

"Let me guess, trying to apologize."

"Aye, although making such amends with pirates acting as negative thoughts…."

"Ohhh, not going so well is it?"

"Nay, only one dared to face their enemy without spear in hand."

Lopunny as he recalled allowed her to leave, seeing how Lopunny's ridiculous prowess would easily subdue the Zora it was easy to guess it took little effort to convince her. A snobby, confused woman like her taking liking to her first obedient person was no surprise. Although this should waste enough time for his artifact to be completed, what would allow him to freely traverse between worlds. A vortex bursted into existence behind him, almost summoning water shurikens to its sudden arrival. He took the time to glance once more at Ralts waving good-bye, upon entering the ship swiftly zoomed out of view.

One had to wonder what could have brought her to such a beastly mindset, although snubby she still carried herself similar to Zelda. Could it have been that she truly did die, by that of the spear's tip. Recalling back to that moment it was piercing where the heart would be, but than again this was another species. Apparently she came from another variation of Zora, but was what he saw natural. Eyes as if one peered into space, an aura casting a haunting sensation. Eventually he would be told or would simply discover the whole truth, until then he couldn't feel safe not knowing where she was.

Safely making his way to Hyrule, softly landing along the wooden bridges connecting the several landmasses. A rather disturbing cavern overlooked the lake behind him, an eerie sensation kept his curiosity in check. Actually having a chance to take his time, his sight held captive by the stunning view of this glittering lake. Before the day his curiosity threw him into Smash, his preference for resting grounds often held a sight worthy of a second glance. The peaceful scenery created by nature made meditation ideal. A soothing union of natural disruptions, and absence of commotion. Catering to his typing, he would eventually make this his place of calming solitude during the stressful days to come.

Eventually he reached the landmass still marred by ash staining the scenery, ironic how still possessing most of its life while giving off a lifeless vibe. A feeling that a space pirate have always gave off, it was hardly a surprise the Zora kept their distance from Ruto. Further down the next wooden bridge, Lopunny as expected oversaw a conversation between Ruto and another Zora along a much smaller landmass merely inches from water level. Ruto sat along the edge wadding her feet through the water with the male standing beside her. Lopunny's keen hearing caught his approach halfway, although swiftly repositioning herself raising her fist he still kept going. With her anger button switched off, immediately her posture relaxed gifting him with a smile.

"Evening love!"

The Zoras were drawn from her sudden speech, simultaneously glancing over to the frog. Annoyance was one of the things he could see himself adding to the list of traits about her, one second of staring at him prompted her to offer a response overfilled with boredom and a bit of disgust.

"Oh…...it's you, intend to stalk me for all of time I imagine."

The male Zora spoke on his behalf, "Give him some credit, he let you live despite giving him plenty of reasons to see you dead."

Uninterested with his being, she turned back toward the waters, "Hmph….more or less obeying orders from that ruffian pup, if true knowledge rest within this grunt then perhaps he be willing to part with those…..pirate's reasoning for abducting me if not for currency."

"Please remain reasonable miss, even if he knew he couldn't say."

"And his reason, the other two spoke without flaw."

"True…..but they were exceptions, most of their species can't speak."

"I see, I was under the assumption I witnessed another civilization worthy of mention. Although it seems I was mistaking, clearly it's a case of animals attempting to evolve to our level. A valiant attempt, sadly only one of them succeeded. Now despite my nourished ill thoughts of this species, they did practice restraint…..well most of them anyway. I reckon I owe them the effort of learning their names."

Unknown to Greninja during his silent rant to himself, she heard his animalistic speech give her his name, "Gre….ninja, what an oddly specific sound to make for a frog."

"No….well….yes it is indeed a sound he makes, but really that's his name….Greninja."

"Its whole and even parts of his name he emits, I must say that's not weird at all."

With that breaking the camel's back, he threw up his hands proceeding to walk away, "That's it, i'll let Lucario deal with her."

Taking merely a few steps away, a firm grasp caused his spine to shiver, "Nah love, you just got here."

Expecting no one less than Lopunny to be holding on, he hesitantly decided against the idea of leaving but not without offering resistance.

"How can you deal with her…..with all of this, all she brings is annoyance."

"She be in denial is all love, all snarky with a hint of politeness…..like Gardy."

"Oh no no no, Gardevoir I can tolerate but her…"

"Awww, having to now deal with another Lucario don't ya?

"Don't remind me, argh…..bringing her along was a mistake."

"Hey, don't start going there now. The Zora would have killed her had you not stepped up. Never forget love that we're heroes, we would do well being a little trusting."

"Trusting huh, tell me….what could have possibly made her earn your trust? Why let her intervene with our battle."

With a flick of a wrist, she showed how little she cared for the danger of obeying her, "Because love, she was with the good guys."

"I don't follow."

She began walking around him with hands on hips, nose up high as if a know it all, mildly annoying Greninja.

"A good apple surrounded by rotten fruit is bound to be rotten itself love, who wouldn't be evil around space pirates. We're going to be her inspiration to become a respectable citizen."

"Ummm…..wow, you're…..quite the optimist."

"I know right, "Giving him no warning, she sent a quick jab into his left shoulder. A Beedrill offered less sting, although he couldn't hold his pose as if a statue he could at least ignore the sharp pain to appear tough. "But that's why you like me."

"Be that as it may, we still….."

"Pardon me Greninja, "Intervening was the male Zora, despite sitting through a conversation with a stubborn woman still wore a smile. "You haven't been around Zora long enough have you, likely you don't even remember me. I'm the one who helped you tame her."

Nodding from a successful recall, he continued on casting a worrying gaze over to Ruto, "Allow me to put your fears to rest, she truthfully remained calm the entire time. Neither her nor I can explain her aggression, that knowledge left with the pirates. You see my friend, hearing the official truth from a foreign creature proved…...uh…..quite difficult to shallow. Came here to acquire knowledge from her own people. Although drastically different, i'm no stranger to past variations. Although i'm surprised she didn't evolve with the rest of….."

Ruto corrected his current thought in a harsh tone, "Must I repeat myself over and over to only gain futility, your current generation I am a part of. I'm your princess, Ruto is my name."

"Please understand my friend, I have no ill intentions towards you. I wish to believe your words and so far I have, but that…..that asks so much from me. You ask of me to deny my King whom I witnessed receive his title, believe you to be resurrected for no reason. How could I know you're not an artificial being meant to deceive us, we've never been bothered by those creatures until now with you being our tormentor. The trust I put in you holds great value."

"Value…...value? I don't even know what's worth discussing, my history has been questioned despite my best attempt at recalling. Not even taking into account that twice i've been told of my death when I still draw breath, then my husband is apparently not my husband and being alienated by my own race for actions that remains in a veil of mystery. Trust…..i've never thought I actually reach this point but what good is trust when my very existence is questioned by myself. APPARENTLY everybody and their elder knows a heck of a lot more than I, MY VOICE…...the only thing I really have now…..IS MUTE…..EVEN THAT HAS NO VALUE. My ENTIRE LIFE shattered almost immediately upon my awakening, ALL I HAVE…..all I have to go by…..is my death, and being brought here by FREAKIN ALIENS."

The already fractured walls of her mind broke down even more, such a calm demeanor having a swift transition to somber stirred up a small dose of pity from Greninja. Shunning their existence, she cried to the lake with its gentle movements remained unmoved. He believed in the possibility of her being a clone a great deal, but as his heart gnawed at his insides the idea she could be legit was a rather pleasant yet disturbing possibility. Sharing his pity, the Zora shook his head toning down his voice.

"I apologize for my ignorance, your history has left for the stars where no Zora has ever reached. You even have a severe disadvantage, you're ignorant to this Smash competition that the Hylians are so fond of. I'm afraid….."

"No no….no….you're right, "Wiping the trails of tears from her face, she stared across the lake regaining her composure at an alarming rate. "I…..I have to be fair, you couldn't possibly hold all the answers. Thank you truly for at least approaching me when you did. However, I can't just walk forward without gaining any footing on this reality. I still need answers, and only one can offer a satisfying clue. Those…..pirates, I need to retu….."

"Absolutely not, please….think reasonably my friend. The only reason they left you with us is due to them thinking you've expired. To find you alive and well…..I shudder to think what they would do. I greatly suggest the slow and steady route, for you may get your answers from the pirates but you most likely won't live to ponder the thoughts whether they be bad or good."

"Why does it matter? Is it not true that i'm dead already?"

"My friend please, maybe to understand your reason for being here is too soon. The gods have faked your death for a reason….saved your life, don't waste it on a suicide mission to gather what you may not even get. Maybe I can't offer many answers, but perhaps someone you would be familiar with. Zelda would be the next best thing."

The very idea sent Ruto into a silent rage, hiding her face couldn't dispel the notion that she was using everything in her power from lashing out. The male Zora took a step back, looking as if she wished to crush her own hand made it clear he made an error. The flood gates were on their last string, but she still managed to calm herself enough to speak through her teeth.

"I…..don't know that WOMAN."

"Ummm, yes….that be true to some extent. I can't claim to know you or your origins, but surely…..surely the Zelda you've claimed to remember must be just as passionate as our own. You've spoken to her, you must have felt the warmth of her words."

"As I said, I don't know her. With that said however, it is true I felt her concern shine through. Gods…..here I am questioning this woman when I seek truth from freakin aliens i've never seen. Such confliction i'm under having to see her again, but I suppose it can't be helped. Very well, i'll take your word for it."

"A wise decision my friend, i'll guide you to her domain. Greninja…..Lopunny, care to accompany us."

Of course Lopunny threw her arms up in joy, Greninja simply nodded hoping there would be no further actions from the pirates. Ruto grabbed all their attention.

"Before we go, I wish to know more about this….Ralis. I never allowed you to go into detail."

"If it helps i'm happy to oblige."

Just when the day would seemingly go undisturbed by foreign forces, he slightly leapt to the bite of winter's fangs. A disturbing air swept across him contradicting the warmth this lake consistently provided. Without drawing the other's attention, he scanned his surroundings for this sudden change in temperature that only he noticed. For a second he witnessed a figure moving out of view upon the closest landmass, casting what he thought to be a golden complexion. With their recent foe still fresh in mind, it was apparent a space pirate was stalking them. Thinking them foolish for only sending one, although counted himself lucky for if it could also talk the conflict surrounding Ruto would be resolved. Seeing risk with Lopunny coming along, he attempted to mask his intentions.

"I'm going to walk around, a little sight seeing."

"Alright love, behave yourself ya hear?"

"Of course, find me when they're done."

With her curiosity drawn away, he quickly left them to their own chatter. Upon reaching the landmass, any trace he hoped to find of this golden figure remained nonexistent. Although his eyes failed to locate this being, his body felt an alluring force lightly pulling him the same way he came up. Tempted to conjure up a katana, his suspicion of this golden creature was a space pirate was merely a guess and wished not to frighten a peaceful being. Across the bridges, he ended up back where he first left the vortex. A dreadful thought crossed his mind, such a tempting force grew in strength within the strange cave. Disrupting his struggle on going in or not, a musical instrument reached out for him. Such soothing sounds gave him confidence with his non-aggressive approach, cautiously wandering through the dark cavern.

There the being stood at the cavern's end, an isolated area giving off an indescribable sensation. Land made it only slightly further into the came, narrowing down to a small edge overlooking what he thought to be water. Lost within its own musical number, this golden creature played to itself a dark blue ocarina of sorts. Even more concerning was that this creature took the shape of a Greninja upon closer inspection. Greninja knew that a rare genetic mishap could cause a skin coloration of complete darkness for Greninjas, but never has he seen a golden variant. Fearing of another clone, he wasted no time conjuring two water katana's while taking up his fighting stance.

Even without hearing Greninja, it still picked up on his presence evident by the musical ceasing immediately afterward. Gazing back at it's sudden aggressor, it spoke casually in a masculine voice.

"Greetings."

He stared wide eyed at this clone for the ability to speak english in the manner a human would. He kept his guard up however, willing to test if he could understand his own language.

"Who are you?"

"Who are you?"

"No, i'm asking the questions here!"

"But I am you."

Starting off on his bad side, it only further convinced him of his bio-weapon theory, "You with the space pirates?"

"Thankfully not."

"But you know of them?"

"Who doesn't know of them, word of their cruelty has traveled as far as the light can reach. The Zora remain on edge more so than ever before, Hylian's wear their sunny masks to keep their false security alive amongst each other. Every light casts a shadow however, all too easy it is to see their shaken state. The cycle never ceases to amaze me, even with the previous darkness tamed it conjures up another one to take it's place. All living things among Hyrule can sense it, what comes for them within the shadows….biding it's time. They all know…..your friends know…..the pirates are merely the prelude for what's to come."

"What will come? If you truly aren't allied with the pirates than talk."

The conversation grew more serious with the lives of Hyrule at stake, but it only laughed at the matter. Completely turning his body to face Greninja, he still remained unbothered by his statue-like stance looking as if he was ready to strike him down at any minute.

"You allied yourself with the Chasers correct, than I need not tell you. You're already in its path."

"YOU….., "Unwilling to share its knowledge that could save thousands, the only method that remained was a forceful capture. Darting off for this stationary creature, his katana flew in for his chest upon closing in. "FIEND."

Just as his weapon landed upon its skin, his view of the world went completely white. His senses went dull instantly, having merely the weight of an apparition. Despite all these sudden and very noticeable changes, his non-existent mind could ponder such sensations as if all of reality just disappeared. Seconds of this event finally gave way to Greninja laying face down along what appeared to be water. Scrambling to his feet, his wide eyes surveyed his foreign surroundings. Wildly twisting around to the terrifying sight of a gray world only containing water. Providing a relieving but creepy sight, rising from the waters came the golden clone. Greninja could wrap his head around any of this, rapidly stomping his foot upon the water with the question being why he wasn't sinking.

Now fully risen, this figure stood without the ocarina. Water swimming along his hands created unfunctional versions of the katana that came right out of a child's drawing, his concentration shattered by this being's power.

"Who…..just….what are you?"

"I'm known by a few titles, most of which you wouldn't fully understand. So for now, let's call me your enemy. Go ahead, take the first shot."

With his failed katanas falling apart, he tried for a large water shuriken with ideal results. With his usual precise aiming, it flew in a curve for his target. Although it struck his chest, Greninja couldn't help but wonder why he would allow it to burrow through him. It would be answered in the form of his target's body dispersing into puddles of water.

"WHAT…., "This wasn't just some different colored clone, it truly did possess knowledge of the very thing it copied. Swiftly looking back to the sounds of this golden clone rising from the water once more. "How do you…..no way!"

"No way…..ha, stick around long enough you'll find yourself using the phrase more often, "Spreading his arms apart, it used hydro pump spreading out its own golden water. For reasons unknown it laid on top of the gray liquid, slowly forming into Greninja's fear. The puddles segmented into four groups slowly swiftly rising up taking the form of Greninja. "It's about that time."

Greninja formed two water katanas, "Why are you interested in us? Why stalk us?"

"Simply, I saw something that doesn't belong."

"What?!"

Without receiving commands, all of the water clones darted off for him. Two ran ahead of the others, forming one water katana. Greninja swiped for the closest aggressor, a clash of blades instantly resulted in his katana being sliced in half. Luckily that clone just ran past him upon doing so, barely having any time to think of what just happened before the other swiped at his last katana holding the same result. Distracted by his destroyed katanas, the remaining two leapt for him. Both implanted their foot into his chest, sending him stumbling back violently. Although a lot of force went behind those kicks, he could still fairly easily make it back to his feet. The golden clone walked in front of his two clones, although lacked any weapon of his own.

"Your heart be like a book young one, this technique conjures memories."

"And…...what of it?"

"This very ability has been a goal post for you for some time now, an unique skill for an unique soul."

"Why does this matter to my enemy?"

"Because I led you astray, to sharpen your soul for what's to come. Your bravery needs refining though, although your kin did make it admirable."

"Did you just attack me just so you could talk about my past?"

"No, just wanted to see your commitment to the cause…..the Chaser's cause that is. Such bravery is a needed trait for what's to come, and the worlds need a light capable of repelling the darkness."

"Once again, what's coming?"

"All in due time, too much info for such a beginner may discourage you. Live on knowing that I intend to be your ally, but for now…..our time grows short. Before I go….I must ask for a favor, and that's to take care of Ruto."

"Wait how, "Without so much as a transition he could ponder through, his view instantly shifted back to his reality. Finding himself reaching out for nothing along the cave's edge overlooking the water below. "Did you know….."

Grasping the fact his reality changed, he questioned the clone's knowledge of Ruto. Could it have been that he was there the whole time she was, but if so then where he leave off to when he came along. The voice of Lopunny echoing throughout the cave drove him from his deep thought.

"There ya are love, whatcha doing all the way in here?"

"Uhhh, nothing to be honest. As I said before, just sightseeing."

"Well no more time for that, the other chaps wanna meet herself now."

"Very well, after you."

Each new encounter left him with more questions than answers, although it seemed as if everybody felt this way. He was unsure if the clone was benevolent as it claimed, seeing no connection as to why it wanted him to protect Ruto. She never spoke of a golden pokemon, but the pirates so far have created aggressive creatures which this being was for an act. Hoping to rid his thoughts of these confusing events until in the safe haven of the Chaser's ship, Moblins would prove an excellent distraction. Lopunny had the same idea, taking it upon herself to thrash any Moblin in sight before he could reach them even those who ran away. Ruto praised her for aggression against the unworthy, ignoring his own efforts despite trying.

The castle was in sight, the area luckily cleared of any hostiles. Upon reaching the bridge, the doorway was guarded by two common Hylian soldiers on opposite sides. Worriedly they looked at each other, possible were part of the gang up last time. Of course they stood their ground in the presence of a Zora, straightening themselves at a comical pace before halting the group.

"Greetings travelers, what brings you?"

The male Zora spoke up, "We wish audience with your princess."

"No trouble at your lair I hope?"

"I'm thankful to say that's not the case, my friend here seeks answers that she may be able to provide."

"Must be quite the questions if you're grabbing the Chaser's attention."

"As simply as they would initially appear, the situation is far more complex. I bring to you the pirate's parting gift."

"Pirates…..wait…..THE SPACE PIRATES, then she.…."

Seeing the distress their surprise was causing Ruto, he quickly tried to remedy the situation, "At ease soldiers, for she is calm like us."

"Well…..yes, she does appear calm…..at the moment. Question is do you trust her?"

"I'm about the only one of my kind, their appearance has been hard for all of us."

"Hmmm, normally…..we wouldn't take this chance. If the Chasers accompany you, then we'll clear you."

"Thank you…"

As if the universe saw the absence of violence going on for too long, breaking the peace came a piercing sound closing in from behind. Gliding past the group, a familiar spinning disk curved itself straight across the closest soldier's chest. His armor sadly provided little defense against the bright blades tearing through him. Blood splattered in the direction the blade left him for the other one, unable to react fast enough his chest received a long slash across the chest as well. Both crashed to the ground, trying their best to hold in their agony. Both Lopunny and the male Zora tried to reach for them, although both knew the aggressor would not wait for them to move the Hylians. All gazed back upon the tall creature effortlessly snatching the speeding disk from its path. Its fingers seemingly unfazed by the heated curved blades.

The same creature Greninja fought on the bridge has returned for reasons unknown, seemingly alone. Both Greninja and Lopunny moved in front of the Zora. The pirate slightly chuckled, despite letting go of the disk it proceeded to hover over his open hand.

"Well now…..does someone call?"

The male Zora moved to Greninja's side, remaining firm in his posture, "I can feel the bloodlust radiating from you…..and that form, tell me…..are you a space pirate?"

"Good eye water dweller, at least your memory is like your spears. How odd to see you without one, and to travel as well. Has our little experiment taught you nothing?"

"What do you want monster?!"

"Not you for one, targets that can't defend themselves are no fun to kill. If you must know, I snuck out looking to stir some trouble one last time. Lady luck seemed to have other plans for me however. Unless my eyes deceive me, my little toad friend truly did survive his fall. Afraid Stollox was lying to me just to shut me up. No need to talk about him though, Greninja was it…..where did we leave off….oh right the rematch."

While preparing his water katanas, it didn't provide him comfort that Lopunny and the Zora refused to back down. He didn't want them to get hurt if it could be helped, the pirate had the same thought.

"Better put a leash on them two, lest my blades slice through em like paper!"

The attempt to call them off was interrupted by Ruto walking ahead of them, confusing even the pirate, "You….vile insect, what's your name?!"

"Oh, and you are weakling?"

"Such attempts at mockery would further reduce your name if not for the sad fact it already being at rock bottom. Appreciate that i'm wasting air on you and lay upon me your name!"

Seconds went by with the creature remaining silent, an energy blade came to life on his other arm which slowly rose to her, "Idiotic…...and suicidal, but you got more spine than the entire Hylian army combined. Ok child, i'll play for now. Grexx is the name, it be wise not to forget it."

"You're forgettable as it is, but that is irrelevant. What truly matters is your title, but is it true?"

"What…..space pirate, well yes I am miss….."

"Ruto….don't play dumb, or does such a righteous name sting your tongue?"

"Ru….to, now wait a minute, "Placing his hovering disk upon his leg, he went about walking from side to side ponder her words. "Ruto huh, that name…..is ringing some bells but…."

"Were you there, for when they used me for their sick game?"

"Wait…..are you…...the missing body, Stollox's science project? Well now, pretty sure he claimed you had expired. Guess the small head isn't just for show huh."

"I have no interest with your friend, just quickly answer my questions. You owe me that much."

"I OWE YOU, I didn't revive you!"

"Re…..vive, "The creature reeled back its blade pondering the apparent mistake it just committed. Ruto stared down upon her trembling hands, her attempt to maintain her composure was not well hidden from her allies. The Zora tried to reach for her, growing slightly timid from the creature's hand remaining so close to its shuriken. "I…...died…..I…...died, their words…...were true. But…...why?"

"Why indeed, for you cleared Stollox in the field of annoyance. I guess since you made yourself really easy to find, it be wise to return his property. Perhaps maybe he'll stop his damned bick…."

"I'M NOT YOUR PET YOU IGNORANT…"

"Yeah yeah, I get it….I freakin get it, "Both blades came to life at once, clashing them over his head. "I'm vile….grotesque….an insect, look water dweller I don't have the patience to watch you crack open a dictionary. Just walk over here quickly until i'm done with pest control. I'm sure when Stollox notices his project if you ask politely enough he'll give you all the details you desire."

Nudging the male Zora's side, Greninja offered one of his katanas. Gladly accepting the ability to have confidence, he rushed to Ruto's side holding it toward Grexx's heart.

"You think her a fool? You'd kill her anyway!"

"Well it make the most sense, don't really see what use a weak princess would be for Stollox."

"I beg your pardon, princess…...that means….no. You even…...acknowledged her name as well…..you mean…..she was telling the truth?"

"Oh what, didn't believe her. Oh believe me I know, it be torturous to obey an annoying…..."

Ruto yelled at the top of her lungs, the others looked worriedly over to her for she pushed her luck, "CEASE YOUR SMART REMARKS LAND DWELLER, YOU SPEAK IN FRONT OF ROYALTY!"

"Not any more you are, you're just spare body parts, "Swiping his hand briskly over his resting disk, responding immediately to its master it detached flying closely around the palm. A hasteful flip of the wrist prompted the disk to propel itself for Ruto. Before her guardian's could react, instinctually she went about throwing her hands in front of her face. Blue markings quickly painted themselves upon the bridge collided, from it rose an abundance of water. Swiftly from the bridge's sides as well, water then condense themselves into a wall. Striking through this wall proved easy, but sacrificed their momentum which bounced off Greninja and Lopunny shocked filled bodies harmlessly. "What in the….."

The threat seemingly halting itself, she lowered her hands staring in awe along with her allies upon tendrils of water climbing up to form a wall of condensed water along the blue markings. It maintained its form for a few more seconds before collapsing upon itself, draining through the bridge's cracks. Suddenly gaining momentum, the disk flew back to their master's hand.

"Been holding back on me Greninja, hope your tricks prove entertaining!"

Everybody stared at Greninja, merely shrugging for he had no intentions on using such a tactic. Noticing the gestures and overall confused faces of his rivals, Grexx slowly laid his disk upon his legs.

"Well, what's the holdup…., "Ignored by everyone else, the metal bracelet attached to Ruto's arm began to glow along with her sapphire. He studied this new phenomenon, speaking silently to himself as he did. "Stollox said nothing about this…..not even his notes referenced this, now i'm curious. A whining baby born in a foreign time she may be, until that is she grows to become…...well now…..such interesting potential. I may not want to capture her after all, to live long enough to lose that whole princess garbage…..to become a beast worthy of actual effort on my end. The future is starting to look pretty entertaining now, sorry Stollox…you may need to pick up your own toys. Although before I go, should water the seed for better results. Death most likely awaits her at that damned domain."

Finally noticing the glowing detail, the male Zora directed their attention, "Ruto, your arm."

Greninja and Lopunny both noticed this, but the threat this pirate presented proved greater despite how patient Grexx was. Ruto was for some reason surprised at the power her accessories could generate despite being found with them.

"Did…..did I do that?"

Grexx showed his joy through laughter, "Well how about this, you actually do have some bite to you."

Ruto spoke still distracted by her glowing orb, "What is this power, what did you gift me?"

"Your guess is as good…..oh brother, of course they got away, "Everybody glanced behind themselves to the downed guards no longer in sight. Droplets of blood lead to the town's interior. "Well…..so much for the damn rematch, she'll send the whole damn army after what we did. Wish we could have met in an open field alone, but seems as if we'll have to postpone until further notice."

The male Zora spoke up, "Yes, do leave and never return. As for you Ruto, you need not fear your own people. Upon hearing the truth, they'll welcome you back with full….."

"Oh really water dweller?"

"Really."

"Really?"

"REALLY!"

Grexx focused on Ruto, "Do you honestly believe that? Surely if the supposed princess of the Zora was SO confident in their ability to forgive, why bring the Chasers along?"

"Don't go about acting like you know her monster, all you can claim is her name."

"We aren't idiots water dweller. Why would she be here if not for fear of retaliation, why ask me of all beings about her existence if not for evidence. Honestly, remember back to what she just said. How do you figure answers would be here of all places?. Like your precious Zelda could possibly know more than the Chasers. Understand what i'm saying, your sending yourself in circles."

"Why you continue to be here? She'll show you no mercy for your actions."

"The cowardly grunts don't faze me water dweller, i've killed plenty with little effort. I'm just letting her hear some truth before the green one shows up, that there is no way they'll tolerate any word coming from me. This water dweller really thinks i'm telling the full truth, I was just guessing. We specifically didn't do anything to bring you back. So basically, you're right back where you started. Judging by the shock of him hearing me utter your very title, if you even attempt to claim you're their princess…..well now…..Stollox won't even need to get you back by force."

Little by little, the hollers of an angered stampede of vengeful soldiers coming for his head grew in intensity, "Oh well, that's my cue. We'll try this again some other time, when you're not utterly confused.."

The male lowered his katana, "Be lucky there will be a next time, only reason I remained at ease was for Ruto's sake."

"Ahhhh, very smart I must say. Sometimes these weapons have a mind of their own you know, hate for these rebellious blades to grind her apart by mistake, "Extending his hand out conjured a vortex of a unique design. A calm breeze flowing across the landscape was typically what they sounded like, colorized by bright colors designed to make you feel calm. This one however gave off the notion you weren't welcome through its space, to travel through this would be like flying through a thunderstorm. Mostly painted blood red dotted with black fragments tearing themselves away from the vortex's disfigured edges. "Good luck…...with the other water dwellers anyway."

Disappearing through this nightmare, he barely missed Zelda and Link rushing to their sides accompanied by their soldiers. With bow in hand, she scanned the entire bridge.

"Did we come too late?"

Although still disturbed by today's events, the male Zora wore a smile for Zelda, "Upon hearing your approach he scattered, you may have prevented bloodshed this day milady."

"Comforting as that is to hear, do you know of its intention?"

"Intentions of a monster are quite simple, to stir up trouble no less."

"Be more wary fellow Zora, these creatures are not mindless, "She gazed upon Ruto who struggled trying to maintain eye contact. "Oh my…..you've returned, if you'd come for aid i'll do whatever I can to assist."

"I…..I did actually, but it would prove futile…...I see that now, "Quickly turning her gaze away from her, Zelda sought reasoning from the other Zora who remained just as somber. "My past…..my title….all I grew to love lost to time. I'm….nothing!"

The male Zora intervened, "Couldn't be further from the truth, don't allow your judgement to be clouded by that creature. Please….just come…..,"

"NO…...I cannot show my face at your domain, not yet anyway. If my actions that day truly happened, then they need time to grief. Though I gain an answer, i'm left with another question. Before I even attempt to ask them for their time, I must be sure of myself."


	7. Torrent

Treacherous waters

Having watched previously thought bioweapon Ruto constant struggles with the idea of resurrection, his nourished resentment for her dwindled. Their male Zora friend pleaded for her to face her kind to no avail. A new element surrounded Ruto, her seemingly out of nowhere ability to manipulate water. Even when she attempted to recall her past to the best of her ability, these strange items remained beyond remembrance. When questioned of their existence, it simply came down to accepting them until she could properly deal with them.

Taken back to the Galactic Federation, Ruto wasted no time asking for Gardevoir's presence. Clearly composed of materials of magical properties this artifact was. Once again, Gardevoir was unable to give her peace of mind. Subjected to trials within the training grounds, it was evident that these abilities weren't curse based. Water didn't move according to words or books similar to sorcerers, but through activity within the brain. A telepathic link between the scales and her mind. Another fact proving rather odd, despite the scales and sapphire matching up with Hyrule craft, the metal bracelet was composed of an alien alloy. Upon further probing found shocking results. The materials closely resembled that of the MII bracelets, Renaissance.

Even when fed more foreign concepts, Ruto continued her training unfazed. Maintaining her silence through all the beatings dished out by wired minions, gaining greater control over her newfound powers at an astonishing rate. Eventually by accident, it was seen that her items could not only suspend water in the air, but harden it to the degree of sharpened metal. Interesting as it was to view her on the monitor, Greninja moved on to his own training accompanied by Lopunny.

Several nights gave nothing but disappointment, still clinging to the mindset that he wasn't popular enough for others to challenge him frequently. Lopunny assured him that even veterans have their empty days. He had to also take into consideration those who seeked destruction might had thrown everybody's schedules off balance. Told of all the adrenaline rushing through him added with the concerning circumstances birthed stress, sympathetic to his small struggles due to Lopunny experiencing the same situation a multitude of times during her early moments. A ray of light did shine through, manipulating water into a sentient copy of himself showed some progress.

Having finished up one of his training sessions against Lopunny, upon exiting they caught Ruto in a pod right beside Greninja's. Lopunny snickered at the unconscious Zora.

"My my, our darling Ruto is fighting away yet again. Simulators been her best friend since we got back, much like another handsome watery devil I know, "Her expressing becoming innocently sinister, she sent a light punch to his arm. "Don't ya agree love?"

"You're one to talk, likely spend double the time showing off your strength in there."

"I was only messing with ya love. Besides, I spent more of my time wrestling with the others in the field."

"I see, but isn't that….inconvenient?"

"The simulator preps the mind, using that solely makes your muscles all frail, flappy, and stuff like that. No pain no gain I like to say, and honey…..you don't get to be strong like me unless you can take a real beating. Soon i'll be making your body ache for realsies, it's better that way."

"Oh I can just feel my body sending shivers of joy from the news."

"That's the spirit."

Both caught sight of Gardevoir captivated by chunks of data appearing across the screen among those hourglass pillars. Didn't take long for her to notice their approach, growing happier to their presence.

"Lopunny…...Greninja, concluded today's trial rather swiftly it seems."

"Thought I get him out earlier Gardy, needs to take a breather before he gets all flappy."

"Ahhh, very true indeed. As a side activity, I have taken the liberty of viewing thy performance. I must say, thy abilities would make most of thy species jealous. In due time under our domain, thou may become the strongest of thy kind."

"Come now Gardy, i'm pretty sure that ain't going around in that noggin."

"I had my suspicions, justified by his obsessive need to get noticed."

The sting of that comment being true kept silent amongst their laughter, although when they calmed themselves he quickly changed the subject.

"Yo…..you speak of a side activity, I suppose Ruto is the main one?"

"Aye, genetically she is the same Ruto who died quite some time ago. Holes remained scattered within her psyche, some important but overall passable. Now a greater mystery haunts our investigations, what rests on her arms. For the past few days i've looked through her Era, none have crafted such a specific item on par with Elvin's invention."

Lopunny scratched her head, pondering the thought, "Ummm…..Gardy, you do know no one during her Era was even capable of making something that advanced. Being magical sure…..but what it was made out of however…."

"Aye again, even Arceus could detect an energy source foreign to their world. According to his statement, it's an energy sitting on the border between light and darkness. Even more troublesome, any attempt to discover anomalies within her body via nano-machines met with immediate aggression. Seconds upon entering through blood vessels met uncontestable resistance from the immune system."

"But wait…..didn't you do the same for me, and….I think it had something to do with the body not seeing them as a threat."

"Typically the body doesn't view them as a virus or anything of the sort, so they are allowed to continue unscathed. Even in the off chance they do attack, they're designed to combat or evade if necessary. In this case however, they were broken down almost instantly. I did my own studies on Zora biology, their immune cells shouldn't be this aggressive or effective. It's almost as if…..the body was actively rejecting our attempts at deeper knowledge."

"But…..Gardy, what does this mean?"

"That's the million dollar question isn't it, could it explain her rapid regeneration…..her aggression noted by Greninja…..only time can tell. Thankfully, her psyche is somewhat passive for aggressive anomalies. Though her dedication to figuring out these items abilities is admirable, I fear she may see this as her only reason to live."

Both Gardevoir and Lopunny looked sadly over to their guest, Lopunny lightly tapping her fingers together, "I know the feeling, poor gal."

"I cross my fingers time mends her confused heart, only despair lies in wait. Through fear of reality, she may come to hate everything that disappoints…..until she understands true suffering."

"Uhhhh…..yeah, but…..that's what she got us for love."

"...indeed, we shalt…."

"Madam…, "Rapidly approaching their gathering, a Federation trooper gripped a small disk of sorts. The swift breathes he took told them the degree of his situation. "I'd just came from Kalos, you're not going to like this."

"Speak hastily soldier, what ails thee?!"

"We've been called to a distressful sight at the Battle Chateau, i'm sorry to report the members were greeted by dead pokemon at the door."

"De…..De….dead, "Greninja could recall that name, wild pokemon would mention that place from time to time. Taking the liberty of scouting the place himself, he found himself watching well trained pokemon beside their human companions duel each other in traditional pokemon battles. Although predators hardly ever hunted there, not to mention leave their prey. Lopunny stood there covering her mouth, Gardevoir eyes expressed shock as well but kept her composure. "From what exactly?"

Gardevoir hastily interrogated him, "Shalt this be the doing of one of those infernal teams, very well….my sword shalt rest on their grunt's neck until I hear proper names responsible for this."

"There…..lies the bigger problem, those syndicates don't really pay much attention to us."

"How does their blind sight mean anything, no untamed pokemon just leaves bodies upon trainers doors for laughs."

"You'll see, "He handed over the disk. "It goes deeper than what you think."

Swiped from his hand by her psychic abilities, inserted into the computer revealed expected but equally worrisome photos. Along the ground in front of the mansion's door, it was revealed this was no case of predatory dominance. Dense black patches riddled throughout all their bodies, such a sight overshadowed by the disturbing fact that each pokemon made up all of the Chaser's excluding Arceus and Greninja. He knew better than to comment on the matter at that moment, Lopunny trying her hardest to hold back tears and Gardevoir radiating a dense crimson aura clenching her fist. Her next words struggled to come out, holding back her immense anger.

"Cause…..of…..death?!"

"Well…..cardiac arrest for all but one, electrocution was the prime reason. The Pikachu however, he was…..shot underneath."

"FLARE…..WILL ANSWER FOR THIS!"

"No…..now wait, they had no reason."

"They….don't need…..a reason, but now…...they gave me ONE!"

The trooper backed away slightly, "Th….they don't have the means to challenge us, why would they antagonize us. Our squad believed…..and this is just a theory…..space pirates are the culprits. Think about it, they're not like Plasma. Their objective is to help pokemon thrive, not kill them for sport."

"OH…..I HOPE THY THEORY PROVES CORRECT, I HOLD NO LIKING FOR THOSE PESTS, "She gazed upon her two other allies. "Thou shalt ease the minds of the trainer's pokemon. Afterward, Lopunny shalt assist me with infiltrating their base. It won't hurt to be sure.

"Sure of what, "Exiting from their simulation room, Ruto seemingly no longer affected by the simulators beginning side effects stretched her stiff arms out making her way to their position. "So distressed you seemed, perhaps you'd grant me a position for whatever you're about to commence?"

Impeding herself from dishing out an immediate angered filled objection, taking a deep breathe placing a hand upon her own chest. Gardevoir wore a smile despite such conflicting emotions.

"With all due respect, this be a problem for the Chasers. With that title comes many responsibilities, one of which is keeping civilians out of harm's way. We shalt guard thy being here until thou can merge with thy kind once more."

"Ahhhh yes, i've been told snippets of your efforts as…..Chasers, you creatures are far more adept than I previously gave you credit for. Allow me to repay my debt to you, my reunion will come soon enough."

"Thy time is appreciated, couldn't ask for more…..no really…..you've bestowed upon us every second since thy rebirth. Surely thee…."

"What I choose to do with my time is my decision; I don't regret any of it. I cannot claim that I fully understand my power's origin nor purpose, but I must surely know enough to fight. Surely a respectable woman such as yourself wouldn't have a capable person layabout for all of time now would you?"

Once again seemingly like she was willing to dispute the matter, she found herself in deep thought. Closing her view from the world, she pondered Ruto's words whilst stroking her chin. Greninja kept his silence, indifferent to the whole situation. He cared not for her joining, all he could think of was those pokemon who were electrocuted and who could have done it. Such thinking tore at his heart, further growing his impatience while maintaining his silence. Finally breaking the silence with a chuckle, Gardevoir responded.

"Thou learn pretty quick don't thee, expected from such prideful royalty. Whilst thy willingness to provide us aid out of gratitude is welcomed, I fear thy alternate reason originated from des…., "Lopunny frantically shook her head halting her speech, taking a second to ponder her next words. "It scarcely matters, as long as thy heart truly desires to aid us i'll not argue the matter further. Promise us this newcomer, if disaster strikes upon thee and thy abilities prove unreliable, thou must forsaken thy pride."

"If it truly comes to that…..than i'll be sure to understand."

"Then it's settled, before I depart I must briefly investigate another concerning situation. I'll join thee soon enough, but if evil reveals itself then…...well…..Lopunny knows what I expect."

Utilizing so few words, Greninja cringed having understood what she meant. The battle against that darkling taught him much about their ways, blood stained all their hands. Rumors spread amongst his region of Flare's actions, overhearing mixed opinions from neighboring pokemon. Until he could see their plans with his own eyes, he despised the fact this could be his first time witnessing a pokemon take the life of a human. He simply nodded to appear he was in agreement.

"Very well, whatever needs to be done…..will be done."

Such simply words led by a calm tone apparently moved Gardevoir, placing her hands upon her waist eyeing him with approval, "Hmmm, good gentle ninja. Do take care amongst the field, it appears someone has taken interest in thee of late."

Great as the news was, simply remained overshadowed by this dreadful event. This was a clear message to the Chasers, now in fear his own kind may be next. Bidding them farewell, she opened a portal for their destination. Soaring through their unclear reality, thoughts of a creature casually committing such acts just for a laugh proved somewhat crippling now that he was expected to face such challenges. Pleasing at it may had been to have extra support for this task, Ruto once nearly being his killer now an ally proved to be a bigger pill to swallow than he thought.

Reaching his destination upon a grassy field, the others followed suit with Ruto seemingly unaffected by the transition. A mansion themed building sitting along a river bed was unmissable, surrounded by the masses of trainers who stationed themselves there. Federation troopers were seen carrying the fallen pokemon away, a somber sensation swept across the fields contradicting the otherwise uplifting bright afternoon. Ruto ignorant to the situation viewed their world with genuine intrigue, several different species of pokemon gazed upon her as well equally as interested.

"What a luscious world to behold, this world…..is your home yes?"

Greninja nodded, his tongue hiding his true feelings at the moment. Continuing to progress toward their objective, Ruto kept eyeing the curious pokemon.

"I foresaw change during my time but…..such a drastic turn, worlds beyond the sky…..the heavens. We were but a grain of sand amongst a desert, I must admit that this is a somewhat saddening strike against our uniqueness…..but awe inspiring that we were not alone. I cannot claim to fully understand everything i've heard, bearing in mind your Gardevoir refrained from explaining the proper reasoning as to how this was possible. Definitely for the best, for I have yet to grow accustomed to this."

One by one, the trainers gazed toward their approach. Mostly eyeing their Zora ally, a rare sight to behold in their world. Although Ruto wasn't informed of how rarely Zora left their planet, unable to decide between pride or awkwardness. Assuming they were the Chasers, they cleared a path where the two Federate troopers stood in wait. When abruptly stopped, both Lopunny and Greninja knew why. Both soldiers cast their attention on Ruto; one spoke up.

"Sorry, "One of the soldiers held out his hand toward Ruto." You're going to have to wait with the others. For your own good."

Lopunny tried her best to show Ruto was permitted to volunteer, patting her on the shoulder while attempting to utter joyful grunts. Of course the troopers stared at each other, but willing to cease their attempt to rush Ruto to the side. Ruto explained what she was told.

"Under the rule of Gardevoir I presume, well rest assured that I was given permission to assist. Hence why I could walk with these two without resistance. They're aware of my right."

A quick glance over to Lopunny smiling in approval was all the proof they needed, nodding to their new ally, "Ah, you're new aren't you? Guess you and Greninja are in the same boat then huh?"

"That's a nice way to look at it I suppose. Curious, why do these people gaze upon me like i'm a myth?"

"Oh that, don't take it harshly. Zora rarely leave their planet. You're a rarer sight than a pokemon with a different shade of color."

"I can't blame them, the unknown cannot be taken lightly. Though such matters can be discussed at another time, what's our goal now?"

"Well…..we….we're going to need the people to back up. Not quite sure what's next when we open these doors."

Greninja wandering eyes caught Lopunny in a stressful state, head tilted down with her eyes tightly closed. Every now and then her ears would jerk, her hands slowly formed into a fist. Several taps upon her shoulder prompted her eyes to open slightly, quickly expressing her concerns.

"Something is creeping around in there…...and it ain't human!"

"Obviously a pokemon. Can you tell which?"

"So….frantic, more than one…...rapid breathes. Sounds…..violent…..they're not saying their names at all."

One of the soldiers noticed how tense Lopunny was, understanding what she was noticing, "So you noticed it too, something's lurking in this building and we don't know what. We scanned their bodies with thermal readings, doesn't match any pokemon currently known. Which means it's not native to this world."

Ruto pondered the idea, "And the things on your arms, I suppose they're your weapons. Must you really kill them?"

"Depends, we'll merely take them back to their home if they behave. Other than that…"

Sounds of breaking glass echoed throughout the lower floor, upsetting those who intruded inside. Spine curdling screeches pierced through the walls, sending nearby humans and pokemon backing away. The two soldiers rose their arm cannons straight at the door, more soldiers rushed from all over. The crowd progressed further away from this apparent danger, troopers formed a line in front of the crowd. Conjuring a water katana, sliding himself along the doors readying himself to enter. Before the doors could be kicked open Lopunny hastily lunged for his free arm.

"Now love you don't need to be waltzing in first, these ain't gonna be some mild critters now. Just…..let's just give the troops support if they need it, don't need ya panicking then getting messed up."

Although he held great pride in his ability to take care of himself, Lopunny never questioned his abilities before which spooked his heart enough to back off. Slightly pulling him across the rather small stone bridge with Ruto curiously following. Both soldiers slowly creeped the door open, hearts jumped to the frantic beeps of some device. Misfortune finally struck, their two comrades engulfed by rushing flames bursting powerful sounds throughout the air striking fear into those near. Such force propelled outward pushed the Chasers off their feet, some of the trainers fled in terror. Pieces of debris spread along the landscape, batches of fire were born.

Grasping his head from such a hard impact, Greninja steadily making his way on his feet eyeing Lopunny aid Ruto with her recovery. Wide eyes gazed upon the spontaneous destruction, the flames mercilessly ate those who took his place. The bridge was no more, but in its place stood a new horror effortlessly standing within the flames screeching for the heavens. Leaping across landing rather closely to Greninja, a towering creature engulfed in flames. More creatures spawned from their inferno, their skin easily dimmed the flames revealing their true form.

Giving off the impression of a savage merciless killer, light brown scales reminiscent of a reptile. Bipedal in posture, born with four arms placed exactly like a Machamp both extending from the shoulder. Green diamond eyes rapidly shifted their gaze to those unlike it, jagged teeth allowing its saliva to drip down. Possessing only three fingers and toes. For a wild creature it maintained a rather muscular body of sorts. Its lengthy tail slapped the earth. Small spikes ran down its slightly extended neck. The common items these creatures shared he deemed more foreign than these invades, tools from another world. A ring of sorts with an open entry rested upon their backs, seemingly glued since no strapped kept it in check. Although a belt hung around their waist, a handle of sorts hung by their sides inactive. Within all their hands held a rather small device wielding two concerningly sized blades at the end.

Fear drove his step backwards, such small movement failed to escape this creature's notice. Twirling its small device along its fingers, it extended into a lengthy double sided spear. Unprepared to counter, Greninja leapt from its proximity barely avoiding its swift attempt to pierce him. Seeing how deep the blade pierced the earth, the situation became that much more dreadful. These creatures were out for blood, and didn't care whose. Wise for the surrounding citizens to retreat to where ever that wasn't here. Forcing free its blade, reeling back its spear once more. Clashing against its chest came condensed water taking the form of a crescent moon forced it upon its back. Looking upon the sender, Ruto stood grasping her waist with one head while the other was encased in a bubble of water. Unconcerned with the flames eating away at the building, she stood her ground.

"What a sad existence it must be to always engage such non negotiable critters, alas…..you seem to find enjoyment in cracking opposition's skulls. Let's end their miserable lives shalt we, their presence hurts my eyes."

All their attention drawn by its intense screech, swiftly regaining its footing. Rose its spear high, a forceful punch to its abdomen Lopunny applied before it could so much as take a step forward. The remaining creatures leapt out of its way, their brethren dealt a blow that propelled its rolling body into the water. Summoning another water shuriken, Greninja joined his comrade's battle stance. These foreign creatures took their time, crawling on all fours steadily approaching them. Only when the Federation troopers began firing upon them did they showcase their true power. Although their resilient bodies couldn't keep them ignorant to plasma wounds, a bright green aura surrounded a few of them. For unexplained reasons, those engulfed in the green aura teleported from view.

Screams of agony followed the destruction of armor, one of those who fired upon the enemy found himself carried above the ground via spear piercing his chest. Only a few could focus fire on it, many were scattered by their sudden reappearance. A few of these creatures sprinted from the scene, chasing the civilians who fled screeching at them so they knew they were being hunted. Lopunny ferociously charged a shadow ball, halting its progress to Greninja darting off after them. How tolerant to pain these creatures were remained a mystery, but his only objective was to buy the humans more time to escape.

Their planet must have contained speedy prey, moving at an astonishing speed which would terrify those who were ignorant to their approach. Despite having a head start, what were once tiny specs in the distance quickly became full blown figures. Smaller pokemon who would arguably be less of a threat than a human went unnoticed along the road, Magikarps jumping from the water beside the road didn't even earn a glance. A woman made the mistake of glancing back, causing her fear driven misstep. A male hastily tried to get her back up, but there was no way a human could move at such speeds. The leading creature rapidly closed the distance, raising its spear. Hastening himself alerted the other two to his presence, one of which halted its progress reeling its spear back.

Throwing premade mini water shurikens upon the leading creature's back luckily halted its strike, sliding beneath its backup's spear propelling himself even more with hydro pump. Glancing over its shoulder caught the human's savior, jumping rather high to evade. Before its descent, reeled its spear back in preparation for its strike upon his now still target. Swiftly forming his water pulse, thrusting himself past its spear striking its mid-section. Quadrupling in size. Furious from missing its query, it attemptee\d to swipe Greninja's head. His pulse propelled the creature away before it could attack, the other two leapt shortly out of their ally's violent path. The creatures momentarily were distracted by their now wet comrade, wasting no time in frantically waving to the humans to leave immediately. Of course the next glance over his shoulder had them already make quite the distance. All three beasts let out a terrifying screech to his conjuring of two water katanas.

Their brutal nature was equal to one another, although their battle hardened will were unique. Despite being the first to fall, rushed itself to its feet roaring to the other two's dismay. Smacking upon one of their heads, it growled aggressively to both despite their equally as aggressive protest. The two stepped back in submission, steadily approaching maintaining a high posture. A swift thrust just barely avoided by a quickstep to the side, a slash along its waist digging deep enough to draw blood could not faze the beast.

Beginning its frantic assault, to the inexperienced these creatures were deadly. Despite their physique, parrying its blades proved to be a simpler task than he thought. No thought was put into any strike, mindlessly trying to injure him to no avail. He would find out that he was led astray, attempting to block another mindless strike prompted this creature to halt its attack grabbing onto his attacking arm. A physically prowess almost rivaling Lopunny pulled him closer despite his resistance, striking down its own head onto its enemy. Hastily leaning back upward, it thrusted a heavy kick straight into Greninja's chest. Easily launching Greninja from his feet into a tree behind him. Such force even applied a dent within its wood. Harshly smacking into the ground, clutching his burning chest he caught his aggressor sprinting wildly his way.

Sharpened teeth came down for his head, expelling thoughts of his pain to avoid a lethal bite. Staggering to his feet, sweat finally broke out having seen this creature effortlessly bite through the tree, spitting out debris. His mind stricken by worry, frantically gazing over to his enemy's backup despite maintaining their distance caused distress from their mere presence. Upon summoning six water shurikens, Greninja sent them into its upper body. Even when they clearly pierced its skin, the depth failed to draw blood. Self-doubt little by little corrupted his mind, his enemy brushing off his shurikens as if they were painless. Greninja shook off his fear long enough to sprint for his foe, intrigued his rival decided to come for him as well.

Attempting to bite down on Greninja's head again only gave his taste buds discomforting smoke, swinging wildly within the veil coughing slightly. Screeching to the side glance of Greninja clinging himself around its neck, forcing its hardened ring from the skin. Right after leaping off, he dealt a swift strike upon its back resulting in what his previous attempts haven't gotten. A wound deep enough to spill green blood slowly poured out, finally having to reach back to touch its wound. Digging its nails upon the earth, drips of saliva escaped amongst the growling. Through the means of magic, its entire being faded into non-existence.

Greninja took a wild guess that these creatures were hunters much more adept than humans, how these monsters of such mindless aggression could possibly harness the power of these portal crystals was a mystery on its own. Before he could even analyze the situation, a powerful force wrapped itself around his tongue nearly cutting off his air intake. Unveiling itself to the world, Greninja found himself under the prowess of its lengthy tail lifting him up. The weapon he stole harshly stripped from him. It went about curling its tail having to face this creature up close.

Merely inches away from its jagged teeth, heated air escaping its growls provided slight discomfort. Darkness lurked upon the edges of his sight; fear corrupted his instincts. Any kind of drastic action would surely leech him of his remaining oxygen, an easy method to meet death early. Letting his body become frozen in place, he gambled on one last trick. Conjuring a water katana, with his remaining energy struck through its tail. More surprised than injured, its grip loosened. A sweet sip of fresh air was all he could get in, recaptured by its tail before he could slip through. With its irritated screech, he found himself thrown into the lake. Through the watery veil, it looked down upon him holding the poor resisting frog in place. With his efforts to unbind himself fading along with his vision, hope blossomed with the tail holding him loosening.

His remaining strength easily freed him, its tail floated slowly down having been cleanly severed. Green blood escaped the wound, though such a sight didn't interest Greninja. Rushing himself to the surface, air greeted him with no objections. Upon his previous battle ground, he saw the reason behind his fortune. Gardevoir with her perfect sense of timing was his hero, the handles she carried with her once again burst with energy. Her intervention held surprising results, already the one who nearly killed him had a deep open gash across its chest bleeding along the grass. Currently her blades dug through another's heart, having a stance on its back. Its upper arms severed, such injuries were dealt in a short manner of time.

With the latest victim crashing face first, Gardevoir leapt for the remaining creature with horrifying bloodlust radiating from her eyes. Prepared for combat, it blocked her first strike. Gardevoir demonstrated mastery over her blades, such swift movements with each strike backed up by a fierce intent to kill. Her adversary was forced to wield its staff to the best of its ability. The fact that it fought with such skill that wasn't demonstrated when he was the enemy was slightly disheartening. Traveling at blinding speed, a swift finishing strike beheaded her enemy. Crashing flat upon the surface, feeding its lifeblood to the soil.

Energy fueling her blades dissipated instantly, upon hanging them on her waist rushed over to aid Greninja. Offering his arm, Gardevoir's strength easily moved him, surprising the frog.

"Thou injured?"

"I'll live…, "Glancing at his deceased aggressors, their presence was beyond abnormal. Still managed to strike fear into him even when absent from life. "What…..are they?"

"Reptilicus, those whom lost their way. These creatures art not known for taking prisoners; never lower thy guard when among them."

"Obviously not native here, looks alot like something the space pirates would tame."

"Nay, they're from a different planet known as Bryyo. Intelligence makes them dangerous foes, but have no access to our vortexes. Although it's quite possible the space pirates are to blame for this as well."

So…..the pokemon from before…..,"

"Nothing more but bait it seems, has their determination to destroy us forsakened them? Their efforts to confront us with their own have been diminishing, so far the only encounter worth noting is their strike on Hylian Lake and Shalour."

A swift thought of his allies Lopunny and Ruto ceased his worries of some pirates, immediately changing the subject for their benefit, "GARDEVOIR…..LOPUNNY AND….,"

Raising her hand was enough to silence him, given that he trusted her judgement being that she would have crossed their paths, "Fret not gentle ninja, my aid was not requested. Witnessing their struggle against the beasts proved calming, Ruto has certainly proved herself quite capable."

"After what i've seen, I believe it. Enough about that though, we have to give help them!"

"Nay, thou shalt reflect on thy previous battle. I shalt return alone, thou had thy experience for th…..,"

Refusing to accept such nonsense, the stern shake of his head supported his resistance, "Absolutely not, we don't know how many there are! Perhaps I can't bring myself to kill them, but at the very least…..I can at least provide you cover!"

Fearing this kind of prideful response, she couldn't help but slap her own face, "Thou hast seen the main problem, thy experience couldn't even subdue one!"

A painful truth such as this wouldn't move him right away, but slow acidic steps towards realization would eat away at him. In an attempt to appease the veterans, to prove himself via the quickest path almost led to his death. The space pirate's words stroked the fires of despair, during that dreadful event with the Zora his pleas wouldn't have been heard. Only an act of mercy from their leader saved him from an easy death, warned that the Chasers will only have them clash again where there will be none. On the verge of obeying her suggestion, silent although audible words poured from her. For reasons unknown, the manner in which they were expressed made her out to be stricken from a previous experience.

"Have my efforts been for not…...please…...don't go his route, don't leave me to dread again!"

Obviously her comments stirred nothing but confusion, although curiosity prompted questioning, "Don't go whose….."

Understanding her words were caught, swiftly rose her hand in dismission while wearing stern eyes, "Heroics is nothing to look down upon, however, you'll not find thy enemies easily bested…..not now! On thy journey through the abyss in search of Eden, abandon most of what thou learned within Kalos. What may work here may just cause thy death elsewhere, such a stainless heart shalt be thy undoing. Flare would have been simple, but this is one of a few concerning times thy heart has been tested. If thou could not kill these creature's, Lopunny should've been the one to stand here alone. Now i'll permit thou to come along, but thy recklessness and stainless heart make an unlikely pair."

Disputing would had bore no fruit, for even he recognized this flaw, "I…...I understand, i'm sorry."

"Sorry is such an immediate response, a word used so much it has lost meaning. Thou must evolve in more ways than just mere genetics, be better as a person. My faith in thee remains reasonably high, maintain a healthy attitude and you'll reach the desired level. Now…..let's proceed, stick behind me!"

In an eye's blink her legs took her three feet from their position, Greninja hastily rushed after her. Images of the other Chaser's swam through his thoughts, casual in their way of living yet disciplined much like domesticated pokemon with the Elite Four. A role requiring swift deductions and unbreakable loyalty to the code she swore by, it wasn't a surprise anymore that a psyche type was their leader. Gardevoirs were always known for their fierce will despite their fragile physique, and were begetters of peace who valued order. The ideal that the Chaser's followed behind could be why Lucario got such narrowed eyes, he was almost like a contradiction to Gardevoir.

Upon approaching the open fields of battle that Lopunny and Ruto occupied, a new form stopped Gardevoir cold in her tracks. An elegant landscape littered with heavily burned corpses of Reptilicus, brave troopers whose chest plates were pierced had themselves stacked upon one another. Two Reptilicus restrained their bunny companion; whips cracking with electrical pulses slithered themselves around her arms, forcing their friend upon her knees. Fearsome her strength may have been, it alone could not surpass four equal as capable arms of her captors. A unknown figure had bested their new ally Ruto, a being claded in armor kept his foot upon her back gazing down upon its challenger. Ruto remained much like those who slept eternally close to her; the utter lack of twisted manners suggested she was no longer conscious. Slowly it proceeded to point what seemed like an arm-cannon towards Ruto, without a second thought Gardevoir's anger swept through the entire field.

"SYLUX!"

Its identity was revealed to him, the being turned for the two casually stepping away from their downed ally. A deep ocean blue composed most of its armor; emerald imprints here and there showcased the flow of energy within. Space pirate crossed his mind instantly, though his body took the shape of a human perfectly. Armor took inspiration from Federation troopers. A weapon consumed the end of its lower arm going outward like a two bladed claw. Armor plating extended outward slightly along the shoulders. Along the head, a sole green line went downward in a completely vertical manner. It spoke with a masculine tone, his words echoed within the suit with his slow approach.

"Federation commander, Gardevoir right. Funny, I was expecting the arrogant jackal to arrive between the two of you. Must have thrown you off key quite a bit to get your attention. All well, guess it doesn't matter all that much. Either way, I need you Chasers out the way."

"Have thou lost thy light? Thou have subjected thyself to killing innocent pokemon, the unaffiliated! Thou breached a new low coward!"

"I think we're far passed the point of moral debate. Speaking of which, morality will become a thing of the past pretty soon. This whole situation with the space pirates, the kremlings, a collaboration so unlikely that I couldn't help but stare. Not just them either, but more factions are falling in line beneath a singular goal. A motivator so influential, beings of such radical mindsets agreed to sacrifice themselves…...in the name of their new path. You and your Federation most likely passed this off as malicious intent against the Smashers, but I know that is merely a bonus."

"Thy words possess an abundance of knowledge to their progress, "She directed a blade for his heart. "One might fall under the impression that thou art aligned with them!"

"Hmhmhm, still the same old wordsmith. No, i'm merely a spectator taking action. It's why i'm here after all, why these creatures are as…"

"SILENCE PEASANT, "Sylux's absurdly swift turn caught Gardevoir off guard. Ruto had risen from defeat, grasping where her heart would be located. Slugged shoulders while emitting heavy breathes, Ruto was clearly not in an ideal state yet her words still radiated with valor. Sylux body posture was that of a statue, to see him so caught off guard by Ruto was both pleasing and discerning. "A shameless human, to dare speak so casually to the very people you betrayed! Had this been Hyrule, you'd be dead by now!

"How…...how, the hell…...just…...how are you still standing? I…..killed you, i've sent a spear through your damn heart?!"

"WHAT, "Gardevoir voice echoed profoundly across the entire field. A killing intent festering within her dialed back quite a bit to the news. Aggressive cells within the bloodstream, rapid regeneration, such oddities would normally stem from a result of phazon integration which no longer existed. Even then, regeneration of entire organs were only documented on intensive dosage with the Omega pirate. For Ruto, a mere Zora, to even come close to such a lucrative healing factor naturally would shatter trust corporation wide. "Ruto, tell me this is blasphemy?!"

"I….I…, "Ruto's eyes shifted away from the two, as if the answer eluded her. Even Sylux, for as corrupted he may be, stood in silence for information. "I don't know."

"No…...surely thou must! Perchance it's an ability unique to the Sages?"

The shaking of Ruto's head sent dread across the informed, "I'm afraid not! It's like we found out, it was….."

"But…...but they don't have the means for…..this level of genetics to exist."

Greninja couldn't hope to offer input, ideals with such malicious intent was apparently consuming more factions than currently known. Abnormal this healthing factor may had been, to unnerved the pokemon's true killer proved more disheartening than he thought. Just when hope cleansed hostilities from the heart, now plunged back into the abyss of distrust and deceit. It seemed to him that everyday she lived birthed more questions than answers. To come for vengeance, Greninja could only flow with the tides that abruptly swarmed around Ruto.

A depressive veil consumed Sylux's mind, gazing heavily upon the field in an attempt to make sense of the nonsensical, "It's worst than I initially thought, you're a premature monster. It makes sense now, why they entrusted me with the task…...why it meant so much to them."

Silence composing the atmosphere met its end, electrical currents swarming around his arm cannon sent rampant warning signs through the Chasers, "You….Chasers, you're no better than the space pirates! I can't just allow you to benefit off of experiments, all of you must die…...including your god."

Ruto hastily objected with a hint of hesitation seeping out, "Wh…..what could you…...possible have against me, against…...the Zora?!"

"Zora, hmph…..how laughable, "His cannon pointed for their watery ally, malicious intent led his actions. "Who do you think ordered your death in the first place?"

"Or…...dered…...my….death…..,"

"I've been keeping tabs on you idiots ever since the villainous types started acting up. I witnessed the entire incident at Hylian Lake, your new pokemon fodder Greninja. After you left I asked for any information regarding the pirates. Obviously, they knew very little about them. It was very apparent that they hated your actions however, cursing your existence. To bring peace to their minds, they asked for your death. A stain is all you are, the children, and the adults all despise what you did to their own."

"Please…...cease…"

"The air passageways were heavily constricted by force. You murdered them through suffocation. Several bones within the neck were in disrepair as well, what kind of monstrous strength did you have?!"

"No no no, I didn't do anything…..I didn't…...I didn't…...I didn't, "Collapsing upon her knees, Ruto grasped her head shaking as if within the tundra. "No memory…...no memory…...I have none….."

Gardevoir intervened, "Cease Sylux, thou strike upon the wrong one. The space pirates remain at fault, not Ruto."

"Oh, I understand. So if a Reptilicus killed a human they would had been abolished of all responsibility. Do you think I give a damn about who's fault it was? Space pirate's interfered with her genetics, she is essentially diseased. Killing her would be a mercy, and respect for the Zora is why i'm doing this, especially if she is just another space pirate's project! I will be the one to do what you can't!"

"NOT IF I SLAY THEE FIRST!"

Her blades trailed along her sides, eating away at the flora on their path toward vengeance. Aggression hoping for his demise didn't faze Sylux, standing in wait for an event to take place. A blade rushed for his neck, the cracking of electrical revival caught Gardevoir off guard. Whips wrapped around her leading arm, ceasing the blade merely inches away from Sylux. More restricted her remaining arms, rampant energy forced loosened grips. The wielder's of these floating whips forsakened their cloaks. Four wild creatures of Byrro followed his commands.

Watching her weapons fall, Sylux laughed on his way toward Gardevoir. Merely inches away from her, she twisted and turned beaming her hatred through blood thirsty eyes to no avail. He held no fear when picking up one of her offline swords.

"Wanna know a fun fact? Did you know the gunpowder was originally meant for fireworks. You know, those mini rockets that go in the air spreading positivity with their explosions. Another person took that idea, and with the same gunpowder, created weapons of mass destruction. Everything natural is neutral, until an intelligent being attempts to use them. For as long opinions exist, there will always be radical differences. There will always be betrayal; there will always be conflict. This truth is severe in your damn Federation. Your Arceus, and now this Zora make a hazardous combo beneath their eyes. Until I decide to deal with your god, i'll just fulfill the Zora's wish."

Sylux turned for the Zora with Gardevoir's blade hissing to life. Unsurprised at what awaited him, Greninja stood battle ready in front of Ruto. Two blades laid within each hand waiting behind him. Brave, but foolish the frog was. To challenge an opponent who possessed an element he was weak to.

"Since you're merely a newcomer, I was really hoping they'd assign you to guard duty. What a shame, your death will be the only thing I might mildly care about."

Malicious words alone couldn't move Greninja, though his knowledge of the Federation was frightening. A traitor they said, though what kind of ill intent corrupted this man to such a degree. Acting on its own accord, the arm cannon closed itself with a green orb radiating along the upper side. When its tip directed itself toward Greninja's direction, the pokemon knew what was about to come. With Ruto barely clinging to consciousness, Greninja tossed aside his katanas and swiftly sweeped Ruto off her feet. Thankfully, she was slightly lighter than the average human. His somewhat weighted movement was still quick enough to barely avoid the barrage of energy aiming for his leg.

A stern look from Ruto went unnoticed, but seconds later she submitted to the situation. She knew her current state wouldn't allow her to last too long against this foe. Chunks of earth were swiftly uprooted with each missed shot. Greninja ran around in a circle to the best of his ability, evading shots with hindered grace. Eventually, the hunter grew tired of this little game. When Sylux retracted his cannon, Greninja took the time to set Ruto down. With his full attention set upon Sylux, Ruto swallowed her pride in order to retreat beyond their engagement.

Conjuring two water katanas, Greninja glided across the field for his opponent. Wide eyes stared upon the incomprehensible phenomenon that occurred next. Devolving rapidly, Sylux's form quickly curled up into a ball of emerald energy with armor plating hovering over the top and a piece of armor reminiscent of a short tail hovering closely behind. So dumbfounded Greninja was by this transformation, he nearly paid no mind to the floating orb making a speedy bee-line for him. Greninja leaped over the orb, watching it slide beneath him with shocking speed. Sylux's spherical shape swiftly evolved back to his normal human form. Greninja's heart jumped to the sight of Sylux twisting his body in hopes of slashing him through the upper body upon Greninja's descent. Instinct forced him to fling his katanas for the dirt. He attempted to flip himself forward as far as he could. Upon his hands standing upon the handles with Sylux's blade nearing, he pushed himself airborne evading the attack.

With the added distance, Greninja formed a large water shuriken, flinging it for his foe. The hunter easily slashed through its composition, uttering an amused comment.

"Huh, your reaction speed has improved since Hylia, "Greninja flipped himself upright, landing gracefully upon the field. The two were at a standstill, waiting for the chance to strike. "If only your other kin was as adaptive; poor creatures lasted longer than the others species they hunted. Due to their frail stature however, the injuries took their toll and they went out quickly. In honor of the fallen, do try and make this interesting."

For Sylux to had spoken so casually about the deaths of his kind rapidly ate away at his mental barrier which held back blood lust worthy of space pirates. Hatred for this hunter surpassed that of Rool whom merely mistreated them. Conjuring two katanas and wielding them with a firm grip, he charged for the hunter. Greninja was lost within the depths of contempt for this honorless being. Confidence aroused by adrenaline couldn't completely mask a pain of such profound sharpness rising through his feet ; he knew there was something horribly wrong. Vengeance propelled him, but his legs suddenly began to disobey him. Time slowed to a crawl. Greninja gazed down upon a electrical current swirling upwards from the grass. With its travel, the pain continued to shutdown any body part caught in its wake. His whole body was completely consumed in an electrical storm. Muffled screams managed to reach Gardevoir, desperately attempted to conjure up her powers to no avail. The constant flow of rampant energy kept her main strength at bay.

All fight within him was cast from his body; shaking from occasional electrical pulses. Even when his fallen foe aligned himself with the Federation, Sylux was right when he claimed his death would have some weight. The hunter was deaf to the aggressive resistance of the Chaser's commander. The somber hunter shook his head, pondering why a new recruit came during the planning of this ambush. A dangerous mindset this was in the eyes of your enemy; he pushed his feelings aside to do what needed to be done.

"Mines….electrical mines in fact. When in close proximity they connect to one another via electrical current, "Sylux deactivated the blade, placing it within an opening within the cannon's exterior. He took great care in lifting Greninja off the ground gently by the tongue. He groaned. Greninja's body would soon be capable of moving again. Time was running short. Soon the other Chasers would grow wary of their prolonged absence and Gardevoir's silence. He was in no mood for completely defeating Greninja. Electrical currents flooded the frog's body through Sylux's hand. "The grass was just tall enough to hide them. Your only downfall was your ignorance."

When the flow of energy ceased, Sylux carried his foe for the river, "It's better this way, to fall in battle…...than simply left behind. Just know I took no pleasure in doing what I did. After i'm done with the Chasers, i'll attempt to make amends here. Those pirates however, I don't know why…..but they want you to resist…..want you to pursue to the very ends of the universe. You'd face a fate worse than death, to be used by the Federation….and the pirates. I will destroy all traces of the Federation, and the pirates. If that means I have to become a villain to accomplish this, so be it."

Sylux stopped at the edge of the river. Staring off to the barely visible magikarps swimming lazily along the current. Took a long gaze upon his paralyzed prey. Thanking himself mentally that he got the voltage just right to halt his movements. The prowess behind a single arm was enough to move Greninja's whole body, tossing the frog into the watery depths. Dedication kept him on the watch, waiting for the frog to be fully submerged. Movements from behind him took no care in concealing themselves. Sylux needn't waste energy panicking, he knew the corrupted Zora was the only candidate. A deep cobalt washed over the emerald within the orb upon his cannon. Electrical currents crackled along the exterior.

The demonic creature was near, yet neglected to even pay him any mind. Infact, she wasn't aiming for him, but the frog. Sylux offered no resistance as she rushed by. Watching her hastily dive into the river, there was even a hint of urgency in her movements, her face. A sight such as this conjured memories of his distant past. The Federation saw him as a weapon much like everyone else, and he was used as such. A weapon with a heart perhaps. He didn't exactly do a lot of research on this woman, though her actions seemed genuine. Maybe she was just another soul acting beneath the space pirate's command simply because she saw them first. Only after being abducted did the truth of her original organization came to light. Reality wouldn't be so forgiving however, redemption was perhaps too far out of reach. Her own called for her blood, rightfully so considering what he witnessed. To add to his festering doubt, he witnessed reports like this before within the Federation. He witnessed reports of an adorable little creature, seemingly empty of malice. That's exactly what the creature wanted, a scientist died from it because he got too close mentally and physically. This Zora was an opportunist, a clever disguiser born in a capsule beneath the space pirate's eyes. Why else would they allow her to be captured so easily. He saw the real her, and now was witnessing the highly convincing ruse.

Without speaking a word, Sylux directed his cannon to the river. A stream of electric energy soared from the tip, reaching across a large portion of the river's body. Voltage was set to the highest degree it could reach. Steam rose up for the sky instantly due to the intensity. Sylux ceased the voltage. One by one, Magikarps floated to the river's top side with their blank motionless eyes showcasing the absence of life. The voltage may had been enough to kill, but his real concern was waiting to confirm the two targets he needed dead. Growling from the Reptilicus actually aroused concern. He twisted his head to witness the reptiles progressively struggling to keep Lopunny and Gardevoir restricted. The voltage was no longer enough to keep them on their knees. Blind rage had numbed them to the whips, only the tested force of the reptiles kept them bounded. If one was to accidental lose their grip, the captive would reach him within a few seconds.

Worries fled from his groaning, understanding that the deed was done. Highly unlikely it was for a fish and a frog to survive voltage that potent. With only two targets left, he decided the commander would fall next. Though victory was near, an oddity made up the atmosphere. Something was causing a disturbance within nature; his armor was cooling down for seemingly no reason. Looked left, then looked right to witness no pokemon other than his captives. Was there a battle taking place where something used a powerful ice type move? Using that logic, how did the battle here fail to make them scatter?

Scanners from the hunter fell upon the psychic pokemon, which caused him to cease. An energy that possessed such animosity gathered around Gardevoir. His visor indicated a gathering of energy unlike psychic power. No pokemon was around to use support moves like helping hand, so it came to the conclusion that she was sapping power from the very Earth. What did that say about the Earth though? What flowed through the air was cold, lifeless….and belonged in the depths of darkness. He clenched at his chest, he could feel it, this energy's attempt at striking his emotions. His breaths became heavy, malicious ideals that slept within all humans gained greater influence over him. Thoughts turned for destruction beyond the Federation, the pirates. These weren't his true thoughts. Slowly, he was being corrupted. He easily fought them off, though the energy's main course was for Gardevoir. The Reptilicus felt this sensation as well; they didn't enjoy this energy one bit. Sylux knew a little bit about them, this was like black magic to them.

"I can't even…..the hell kind of pokemon is this, "The threat level along the side would gauge how dangerous a creature was by a vertical bar with the lowest point being blue, and the highest being red. The most dangerous Gardevoir in base form he encountered sat at forty five percent, and that pokemon belonged to the champion of this region. Right now he was staring at sixty four percent and it wasn't slowing down. "Is she going to…...mega evolve? No…...that's a spike, not a gradual increase. So then…...what am I looking at?!"

Would the reptiles even be capable of withstanding a force like this if it reached maximum? This needed to end, and fast. Snatching the blade from the cannon, he snapped it to life. He proceeded to walk for the pokemon once more. Planning to end her as soon as he got there. Another abnormality came in the form of a spear striking down upon a Reptilicus from the sky. Everything went still, including the flow of energy. Every being gazed at the spear embedded within its chest. Frantically, it tried to free itself to no avail. To its misfortune, the spear pierced the heart. Whatever fight that was left in it quickly faded away. Its movements ceased along with everybody else. A dense emerald aura surrounded the mint spear. According to Sylux's visor, it was a weapon of pure energy. With its dissipation, the lifeless creature smacked the field.

"Uhhhhh…, "Was all Sylux could say before another spear of the same composition struck a reptile restricting Lopunny in the heart as well. "Who the hell…."

Sylux tracked the trajectory to the Battle Chateau. Balancing upon one of the spires, a creature oversaw the entire field. Its presence for unknown reasons deeply upset the Reptilicus whom growled furiously at it. Finally, it leaped high through the air. As it crashed down, an emerald mist flowed swiftly across the field, blowing passed all within the area. With its ascendance, none could believe what they witnessed. Possessing four arms and a reptilian body, it was Reptilicus of old. Difference being that it wore the armor of its ancestors. Golden armor strapped to its upper body and first set of arms. Legs were also covered by armored plating. Armor hid the upper portion of its head with artificial teeth placed near the mouth. It too held a chakram on its back that radiated with purity and pride. How sharp and clean the curve was would make one think it never saw the harshness of battle.

A bitter hatred caused the Reptilicus to forsaken their roles as captors to slay this newcomer. With the whips unraveling from their captives, neither Gardevoir nor Lopunny went to engage Sylux. They were all captivated by an odd appearance they thought ceased to exist. One of the armored reptile's front hands radiated an emerald aura. Almost instantly, a double bladed spear was born. It was evident it held mastery of the weapon, twirling it around at terrifying speed. It spoken words in its own language whilst forming a hand sign with one of the second set of hands. Darkness cloaked the second left hand; emerald composed the first left hand.

A hostile reptile closed in, lashing out its whip. Utilizing the hand cloaked in emerald, it caught the whip's end with no apparent repercussions. Electrical energy couldn't go beyond the hand. The hostile creature gripped its whip so fiercely, it was forced forward when the armored creature pulled with a mighty force behind it. A swift hand covered within a black veil attached itself to the head of its prey, possessing a force that sent the creature screeching in pain. It forced this wild beast onto its knees, the distressed creature dropped all its weapons trying to rip the hand free. Gradually, life within the creature began to fade. Darkness traveled along the veins sapping color and health from the captive. The remaining creatures ceased their approach, watching in silence as their ally was stripped of its youth. Color forsakened the body making it reminiscent of ash. Similar to looking at a dried up raisin, skin was ragged and absent of water. No longer did it possess skin and muscles worthy of a large fur coat, but a skin tight jacket all jagged and frail. What fell upon the field was a husk, kept together solely by ligaments.

Sylux soon understood how foolish he was for stand so close to the enemy while they were unrestrained. A forceful swing for her head met incontestable resistance. The blade stopped inches from her mouth. With a flick of the wrist, her psychic energy kept his whole body frozen in place. The sensation Sylux felt would drive most humans to begging, as if his whole body had been buried in hardened cement. Even when he directed more power to his arms, the absurd prowess of her mind kept him like a statue. He could barely breathe because of how constricted the hold was. Gardevoir was in no hurry to avert her eyes from battle.

"Da…..mn…...yo…...you….., "Sylux was barely audible, though Gardevoir ignored his words. Never has he encountered an expression more blank than what faced him now. This transcended indifference, he could feel the overwhelming nothingness. Questionable silence was more deafening than the battle cry of one hundred space pirates. What was one to think? How could someone as talkative as her possible be so mellow at this time. Nonchalantly holding him with the curious look. Tears were nowhere to be seen. Anger basically left the body for as far as he could tell. Despite how frighteningly calm she was, her threat level sat on an unbelievable seventy-five percent.

Soon the truth finally could be seen, the oddity that entered her being. Black electrical energy crackled around her body. A normal sight for this pokemon would be a white aura that was their psychic power, but hers had fallen to abysmal pollution. Darkness coated her psychic veil, even her fur color dimmed slightly. By a simple sway of the hand, Sylux found himself flying at breakneck speed. Before he could even blink, his body crashed upon a tree's figure sitting on the edge of the forest. An impact so forceful, Sylux tore through half of the tree. He slapped the ground with his head, struggling to recover. She wouldn't give him the chance to look at her, restricting all his movement before he could gaze upward. Swaying once more with slightly more effort, the pokemon sent Sylux soaring back upon the field.

Sylux tumbled violently for quite a bit until he could finally stop himself. Just two methods of attacking ate up his entire shield, and damaged his suit slightly. More information was required for this fight. Retreat was necessary, but made impossible. Psychic energy pinned him to the ground, gradually increasing in pressure. One would question if they were on Jupiter with pressure this absurd. He swore he could feel his armor being pushed inward. The sky was the only option, he couldn't move his head to save his life.

"Grrrrr….sc…..rew…...this, i…...ll….worry ab….out them…...la…..ter, "His visor transferred data collected during the fight unto his ship. "Mu…...st…..get…...away!"

Luck was finally facing Sylux again, heavy gunfire directed near Gardevoir's position was enough to undo her concentration. Off in the distance, a gunship had uncloaked itself, firing with a cannon on the underside. Gardevoir's hand was forced, darkened particles danced around her eventually condensed into a durable bubble shield. Sylux fought through the pain, rushing to his feet.

"I gotta pull back for now, "Reverting back to his orb form, he made a bee-line for his ship. Transforming back into human form, his ship flew low enough with the pilot's compartment opened for one clumsy jump to make the cockpit. Wasted no time in closing everything, hastily turned for the atmosphere and soared off.

Lopunny's frustration aimed for the Earth, exasperated jabs uprooted unfortunate flora in her wake. Grasping at empty hope was her downfall. During the battle's lifespan, she held him at his mercy. Why could he still stand? Why didn't she break him for everybody's sake? Foolish hesitation threatened to undo everything that fought for. Something approached, the outstretched shadow originated from the guardian Reptilicus. Although grateful, Lopunny's critical error kept aggression seeping out of her. Burning contempt instilled into the guardian's mind; it was unfairly unwelcomed. With the spiritual guide's request, it felt great somber for having killed its own. It wouldn't debate a feeling it knew all too well.

" _Let flow from thine eyes…...child of Kalos…...the byproduct of tragic battle._ _Do not cast judgement upon all humans….begetters of science. The offspring of Antecendent…...Sarolla….beckons for thine hope inspiring smile. Fear not…...guardian of Kalos…...fear not death's intense gaze of today…...for now…...Sarolla's favor…...shalt bless thee."_

It wasn't immediately clear what her role was, but the purity within this creature couldn't be questioned. A confliction between fear and acceptance kept Lopunny bounded to the ground. Apparently a female Reptilicus, its mouth didn't need to utter a sound to get her point across.

" _Mind the fallen….a fiend of invisible prowess….walks for us."_

Lopunny sensed this oddity as well, a lingering darkness approached. Behind held Gardevoir's body being led by the darkness. An emotionless creature, dragged two blades through the flora. Whatever sat their gaze upon them was not a friend to Lopunny, not even an ally to the Federation, the Chasers. It cared not for her well being; it was very unlike the Gardevoir she knew. She had enough of the bloodshed of allies. She wouldn't allow harm to come to the Reptilicus. A fierce will rose Lopunny to action. Her arms stretched in front of the reptile. Eyes meant for the enemy beamed for Gardevoir. When slight denial alone didn't cease her approach, Lopunny clenched her fists in preparation for the worst.

She proceeded forward with the mind to take Gardevoir down. The guardian watched in awe to the spectacle taking place within Lopunny. Negative forces polluted the psychic's soul, but a positive force originating from the same source seeped into the bunny's body. The floodgates to Lopunny broke down, energy rapidly gathered within her. An aura exploded around Lopunny with considerable force, swirling around like an inferno of emerald coloration. Such power froze Gardevoir instantly, prompting a negative response. Bitterness was written on her face; a polar opposite force opposed her.

The two stood in raging silence, eyeing the other with intent of silencing the other. One thing was clear to the Reptile, these two were holding back a portion of their strength. With the darkling losing the advantage, emerald energy surrounded a free hand of the guardian. Reptilicus disappeared instantly, Gardevoir foresaw this. An attempt to swing behind her failed miserably. Both her arms were restrained by the guardian's frontal arms. As frail as this pokemon seemed, this darkness provided strength almost equivalent to that of her own kin. What needed to be done had to happen asap. Grasping the psychic's head with one of the second set of hands, dark energy seeped into the guardian instead. Noticing this, Lopunny kept the frantic pokemon as still as she could while turning off the blades. The veil grew smaller until there was none left to corrupt her.

The guardian kept a firm grip for obvious reasons. Gardevoir's legs lacked feeling to uphold her; she was weight dead due to swift withdrawal. Her eyes remained open, though their ally was still missing. A hefty slap from the bunny surprised the guardian. The darkness forsaken the body, why strike it with such animosity. Great force too, did she intend to knock the psychic one out? Perhaps more force was necessary, because shortly after their ally finally responded.

"Lo….punny, "Knowledge from the Reptilicus from old allowed for understanding of pokemon's language. Finally released from the abyss, blinded she was by the radiance of their eternal body in the sky; her eyes couldn't fully embrace the sun's presence due to its absence. The guardian let go of her captive, allowing the psychic to fall beneath the bunny's embrace. When the rebirth of Gardevoir's strength, she could stand on two once more. When the guardian fell within her sight, a belligerent will summoned forth active blades once more. "YOU!"

Lopunny rested a palm on her shoulder, shaking for her to cease. More confused than merciful, her hesitation allowed the guardian to offer peace of mind.

" _Everything seen here came to pass…..as foretold by future's gaze. With Lady Sarolla's permission…...my acts have changed the course of battle…...and the many yet to come._ _Be still psychic one…..thou aim thine blade upon a guardian of Sarolla…..a supporter for the Chaser's ideals."_

All went according to the guardian's plan. Astonishment kept the blades of Gardevoir still. Wide eyes fell upon the creature. Such civilized mannerisms complimented by a peaceful posture. Like what Lopunny witnessed, she needn't open her mouth to speak English. Like how Gardevoir communicated with humans, words and their meaning just appeared in the mind. Curiosity had Gardevoir probe for questions.

"Pardon…...who is this…..Sarolla, "Gardevoir flinched to the realization that she spoke from her mouth, though the creature pardoned this. It could understand their beast-like methods of communication flawlessly if her response was to be considered.

" _A seeker of knowledge…...good…...I shall answer. Sarolla…...a kindred spirit to the true Reptilicus…..is an offspring of the Antecedent. With the descent of the high god…..Sarolla, a keeper god…...rose along with other watchers to oversee our world. Most of the gods left their offspring to rule over their new domain. With the fall of Bryyo…..a light fell upon me in a transcendent form. Sarolla…...Mother of the Stars…..gifted me refuge upon her land…..worthy of the science lords. Sarolla…...traveled across the cosmos…..with me as her Guardian…...along with the Bringer of Death."_

Though immersed in her history, Gardevoir couldn't forsaken the darkness eating away at her. Her head aimed for the river that carried their fallen allies. Seeing this, the guardian attempted to comfort her.

" _This too the future held…...Sarolla's blessings, "She held a finger toward the forest that held two beings stumbling through. Ruto struggling to carry an unconscious frog over her back. "Just as foretold…...the fallen walk among the living."_

Despair had lost their grip upon the pokemon; hope washed over their radiating bodies. To maintain the illusion of strength, Gardevoir used all her might to hold back the tears. Lopunny made a bee-line for the two screeching joyful grunts. Gardevoir followed suit, though after awhile of running glanced back to their savior. Only air greeted her, the being was gone. What she witnessed towering over the forest beyond the river held priority over Greninja and Ruto. A spherical object of massive proportions ejected flames from one side, acting as some sort of starship. In a blink, it soared to the cosmos.

Dumbfounded, Gardevoir could only scratch her head with a concerned frown. Fearing what the future may hold.


	8. AV: The Shift

Abysmal Void: The Shift

Between the distant voids, there was countless life held by invisible ties linking across the cosmos. Such a connection existed in the form of vortices, gifted to the Smashers and their worlds by the elusive Master Hand. For the denizens of planet PE-07, third earth-like planet and birthplace of the country Ylisse, warp gates led to ludicrously varied Outer Realms. Oversaw by a sole whimsical guardian, almost every soul was permitted to travel at their own risk. Quite the tale the King of Ylisse would hold of his last use of the gate. Lingering darkness fell beneath his radiating sword, and the will of his friends.

Evading the king's curiosity, a persistent darkness seeped into an outer realm. It's goal, to consume another influential body that feasted upon most of a highly respect country, Zellios. An unfortunate lush continent had endured the harshness of an ongoing war, waged by an invasive, merciless empire. Little did the war's participants know that a new faction slithered its way between the two immense armies. It sharpened its fangs not for the weakened sole kingdom, but on the intruders who marched through pillaged constructions.

Beneath the high sun's gaze, bulky, tall trees were heavily sprinkled across a forested area surrounded by plentiful short grass. Leaves forsaken their host, flowing along the slight breeze of a clear day. Even when the spirits of the deceased haunted the realm, a moment of peace provided much needed silence for a blood-thirsty demon of space pirate origins. Grexx, newly promoted officer and translator for the space pirates, slept lazily along a sturdy branch comfortably shaded from annoying rays. Flaws within the protective bush allowed pencil sized pillars of light to fall upon his frame; bladed disks that rested along his thigh gleamed within the darkness. The beast awakened; a prolonged yawn escaped its maw. With its outstretched arms, it grasped upon a handful of berries, having them fall into its widened, segmented mouth.

With its senses rejuvenated, it leaned upright while one leg dangled beneath the branch. Boredom threatened to consume him. Below his figure laid several deceased bodies of human origins. Lightly dressed creatures whose red coloration gave off the feeling that they were aligned with his query. He attempted to catch a sound within the silence to no avail. The absence of a vigorous army closing in for the kill was rather infuriating. It hoped the mere sight of bloodlust could pardon the life leeching waiting game he was doomed to. The sound of sturdy armor casually walked for his position; an enemy in this realm would never be so bold as to forsaken the element of surprise.

"Grexx, we know you're there, "A voice that reeked of artificial composition managed to seize his interest. An ally of the pirates, and a close partner of Grexx. Entering into the shade, it gazed up to the scaled beast. "How's it hanging?"

One should not be fooled by the human-shaped figure; what laid behind that crocodile green armor was a scarred space pirate. A highly respected cybernetic warrior stood before him. An ovalish visor which radiated a brilliant yellow within the shade composed most of his head. A blood red pony-tail protruding from the back of his head flowed with the wind. Bulky armor made up his upper body. While his right shoulder possessed a spike protruding outward, his left shoulder was more spherical. Devices installed within his armored arms acted as the beginning of his energy swords. A belt clung to his waist, carrying a grayish pistol, a small pouch, and a few other weapons. Not only possessing human-like hands, but he had feet reminiscent of a boot.

"Well if it ain't Weavel. You know mate…...I would be feeling rightly good about all this here if you gave a bloke a…..whatcha call it…..a less pitiful role!"

"Good afternoon to you too. I'm glad you're taking your promotion so earnestly. Must be challenging hanging on that branch so skillfully."

"Ha ha ha, no need to be so cruel mate. I was just waiting for the hired bird to give me a ring is all, "Grexx leaped from his position, crashing upon somewhat dried blood that painted the surrounding flora. Off in the distance, a small transport ship stationed itself ten feet away. It was guarded by the newly formed space pirates, the Stellar Lance unit. "So…..not trying to pull your strings here, but whatcha doin 'ere mate? Weren't cha settling business elsewhere?"

"Ridley insisted I come. Apparently, your absence has sparked controversy."

"Blimey, innit that tiny headed Stollox causing me headache? Pain in the arse I tell ya! Glad i'm no longer a lap dog for that bugger!"

"Hmph, you're telling me! How damning it is to be told how to use your own body."

"It ain't right mate, but ey…...at least you lasted a hell of a lot longer than most other blokes."

"After what got me in this armor in the first place, I'd be damned to go out so easily nowadays!"

"Ha ha ha, right you are mate, right you are."

Weavel crossed his arms in deep thought. Pains within his brain resurfaced when he reminisced of his near death experience with the dreadful bounty hunter, "Oh I learned my lesson quite some time ago. Perhaps it was fate that we'd fight again."

"Really now! How about that for news. Go on then, what's the rub? How did you fare?"

"What, did I come here just to start my own bibliography? Stollox and the genetics division have been questioning your ability to do as you're told! We're behind on our goals as it is; it doesn't do us any good for him to halt his progress due to your antics!"

"Stollox is just looking for some empty-headed bloke who just walks to his tune, and ultimately to their death! Well I ain't for it I tell ya! I have a mighty fine head on me shoulders, especially now since the surgery."

"Hmph, you're one to talk about empty! Has your psychic abilities improved at all; is your head still sore?"

Meh, I slept that off days ago, "With its mention, the mere thought of his numbed brain being invaded by shrapnels and needles resurfaced forgotten pains. A faint growl of displeasure provided Weavel the truth. The cyborg kept silent as his ally attempted to rub the pain out of existence. With the flick of his remaining wrist, one of the disks detached from his legs. Obediently, it orbited around his limb as if it were a moon. "Gonna be frank with ya, my powers be hanging a little on the feeble side. The blades don't even put a little weight on me ole mind, but anything heavier…..bloody hell…..it's like trying to swing around a building!"

"Heh, sounding like a Ralts despite how skilled you are. Fitting, since its species' genetic make-up was the only thing your body wouldn't reject."

"Bloody lucky I am. Best better believe I intend to personally thank the Chaser's Gardevoir for her species' generous donation.

Cackling to the hilarious thought of their commander's face, Grexx relaxed along the tree's frame. Weavel's ideal image of a competent pirate changed throughout his life as a cybernetic soldier; a being who diverted so far from his original design was now looked upon as a scientific achievement. Grexx wasn't wrong about Stollox though. Weavel witnessed hordes of his comrades needlessly sacrifice themselves in the name of science. Watched them willingly become science experiments knowing they'd die. Little by little, self worth vanished into the confines of isolated tubes. Besides Ridley and a few others, many became no different than bipedal drones. To see Grexx question the safety of certain experiments people like Stollox wanted to perform was actually a wave of fresh air for Weavel. Little did Stollox know that this great sense of self-awareness was why Ridley decided to promote him so quickly.

Despite his deserved respect for Grexx, Ridley ordered him to keep Grexx in line to an extent.

"Black Widow wasn't happy you know! You were supposed to join her with the fleet, not wait for her ok. Her impatience led to one of our own being sent to the medics."

"Ahhh, so the damsel can fight ey. Never got to see the bird, "Grexx lightly kicked one of the deceased soldier's arms. "These buggers here, on the other hand, thought they'd be pretty clever, dropping down on me like some hawk. A bunch of scouts with a case of bad luck is all they were."

"Hmmm, then the Imperials are planning to strike the Zellios capital. It be wise to subdue them before their engagement. Our forces are stationed three miles behind us, just three more away from the capital."

"Well I better take the ole wheel then. I don't have much faith in the little bird's ability to kill her own!"

"Oh brother, you're completely oblivious to what we're dealing with!"

"Is that right mate? Well then…..mind enlightening an ignorant fool?

"I wasn't there for her recruitment, but I believe our Seekers recommended her. Stollox was sent to recruit her. She accepted, but not without giving him a swift pounding."

"Hehehe, I like her already."

"Reports confirm that she was missing an eye; it was replaced with an artificial machine in the form of the organ. Though it wasn't normal by any means; it generated frightening energy that tore through Stollox's shields."

"Missing an eye ey! Huh, tough gal. I'll give her that much.

"Indeed, "Weavel rested a few finger tips upon the left side of his visor. Information popped in and out of existence, cycling through reports hidden away by Stollox. "Pretty adept at fighting as well, and has good tolerance to pain. Though it was difficult, they were able to grow a specialized, organic eye f…..."

"Hold on now, "A swift palm rushed out for Weavel's chestplate. Interested, the cyborg awaited for his comment. He witnessed an expression that spoke of confusion and disconcert. "Now….. whatcha be going on about mate with…...specialized? That be a dangerous word!"

Weavel threw his hands in the air, annoyed by an ignorance he wished he didn't possess, "Damn if I know. The genetics division is being very tight lipped about it. Probably don't wanna deal with the eternal line of volun….,"Weavel suddenly ceased his speech, tapping along the helmet's side. Grexx was slightly curious, taking a few steps closer in hopes of catching good news. "Well I just got word from the Destroyers. The Imperials are within range, but stopped their movements. I'm guessing they took notice of the ships."

"Well who bloody wouldn't mate!"

"Let's just hope they're not stupid. Come on, we're heading back to our front lines. Widow will rendezvous with us shortly.

Before Grexx could so much as move, soundous rustling within the tree Grexx rested beneath caught their attention, "What the bloody hell is…."

Weavel's swift hands, honed over time through many skirmishes, snatched his pistol from the waist. Scanners picked up an abnormally powerful energy source moving about frantically. A well placed shot froze the target. From that moment, the target screeched with such a profound sound that nearby birds flew from the scene. The victim that fell from its hiding spot took the form of a crow. The bird struck the ground, remaining motionless.

"Well isn't life just cruel little birdy. Weavel went and took you for something threatening. The cycle of life I suppose, "Grexx shrugged to the poor fate of this creature, proceeding for the grounded ATC pirate ship.

Commonly used for transporting squads across lengthy distances, the ATC was a decently armored alien craft. A wooden brown composed its rough exterior. It reached a height slightly higher than the average pirate. Two double barrel turrets sat upon the ship's upper frame. The design was large enough to fit six passengers excluding the pilot; two hatches upon both sides opened up with Grexx's approach. The Stellar Lancer unit that consisted of four pirates all bowed before Grexx. Numbed to the indifference most pirates had for one another, Grexx had to stop for a moment to gather his thoughts.

A new league of pirates were born within the tubes of the genetics lab; space pirates who were merged with Reptilicus DNA during surgery and even some before birth. A prideful species now hosted a muscular body much like the reptiles on Bryyo. Scaled skin consisted of an ash coloration. They possessed a lengthy tail which packed quite a punch if the scientist's results were to be trusted. The new species were not given cybernetics; their natural prowess had to be witnessed in the field before any suggestions for upgrades could be made. Still only capable of growing two arms, the Lancers were given two devices. Dependent on what was their dominant limb, a gauntlet was strapped to one of the arms which could conjure an energy shield. Through voice commands, the gauntlet would turn on and off at the user's will. Hanging by hooks along the back of their platinum chest plating, their primary weapon was a somewhat large rifle, the E.G Hybrid. When Lancers needed more melee capabilities, they redirected the abundance of energy from the rifle's core into the tip which produced a condensed energy beam.

One of the Lancers spoke in their usual beast-like tongue; it was to be expected since they had translators for a reason.

"We heard your orders officer; you wish to join with our ground forces. Will you have us kill the Imperials when we finally reach them?"

"Heh, i'm not quite sure mate, "Grexx laid a palm upon the Lancer's shoulders. "Inform me son, how many missions have you been on since your little…..ah…..transformation?"

"This will be my first. In fact, I believe the entire unit is just beginning."

"Freshly baked, and already so eager to dive into the mouth of war. You're a rightly confident tray of blokes aren't cha! Well…..I'm gonna tell you blokes to hold off for a quick minute, "Grexx directed the Lancers attention to the approaching Weavel through subtle hand gestures. "Now…..if we were just offing folks, why would the tin man come all this way just to get me if the deed was so simply."

"Ahhh, I see. In that case, we shall act as your shields until further notice."

Providing an approving nod, Grexx playfully smacked the Lancer's chest, "Good man. Oy, innit about time ya joined us tin man?!"

"O…..oh, right…..in a second, "Weavel's concentration was solely on the fallen bird. Standing over it, he was mesmerized by such abnormal readings emitting from it. Its heart rate was non-existent, even before shooting it. Its purely violet eyes with a gray pupil, followed Weavel's head despite readings suggesting it was dead. Oddly enough, rippling would occur within its eye every time Weavel moved.

"WOAH WOAH WOAH, WEAVEL….., "Grexx's alarming holler prompted Weavel to abandon his curiosity for a greater concern. Without any warning whatsoever, their position was surrounded by vortices warping into existence. From the red, clouded portals emitting lightning strikes from within came humans of monstrous design. Hulking beasts who stood like men stumbled from their vortex. Their skin consisted of a darkened shade of green with muscles ready to burst. Their heads remained concealed by a metallic helmet. Beside them stood more reasonably sized humans, but their appearance was not pleasing in the slightest. A darkness acted as an aura for these living corpses. A variety of them stood before the pirates: mercenaries, dark mages, barbarians, etc. Their violet eyes gleamed through their blackened faces.

Weavel leaped for his comrades to the presence of another vortex growing from the downed bird. From the depths of this darkened space, a human, whose presence was perhaps even more menacing, stepped from its vortex. A female possessed a glaring disfigurement; half her body was cloaked in some type of glossy, silver material that latched onto her skin, right eye, hair, and even her clothing. Her hair concealed her corrupted eye, but her remaining pink colorized eye sat upon the more normal half. Her normal flesh consisted of an olive coloration with several silver cracks scattered across her face . The upper body was armored similar to those from the King of Ylisse's era while her waist sported a skirt. High knee boots acted as her leggings. A cloth of sorts seemingly tied her two cotton candy-like pony-tails of standard blue that quickly faded into hot pink tips.

A youthful girl showcased an innocent smile that spoke of deception, casually walking toward them while mindlessly swinging around her sword. This wasn't something natural for this world, Weavel put that together almost immediately. Uncertainty kept the cyborg still, but the others expressed their shock through beast-like growls. Grexx reeled his hand back, preparing to have his disks soar as he spoke.

"Who the bloody hell are these lot? Wait…..innit those…..whatcha call em, Ri….sen buggers?!"

"I thought so at first, but these things…., "Having fought plenty of vile undead creatures from Ylisse called Risen, he could conclude these things held different origins. Scanners indicated different statistics, and a different source of power. All of those who were more human shaped possessed attire unlike those found within any region associated with Ylisse. What of the corrupted girl as well? A prolonged gaze upon her silver half conjured an idea that brought nothing but dread. "You finally came out of hiding, Master!"

"Bloody who mate?!"

"These things….they're not Risen. In fact, nothing within our data banks can even link them to any known planet, not even the Smash documents."

"Wha…..that didn't give…..oh forget it mate, "Grexx observed his surroundings thoroughly. He walked in random directions to gauge their behavior regarding movement. None reacted to his movements, but continued to stare with the hulking beasts roaring to their hearts content. Each blade of his laid in a hand, readying to feast upon their life blood. "Quite the calm lot these buggers are! What about the girl with the crazy looking hair; is she trying anything yet?"

"This girl…..isn't even real, but an imitation of the real thing! She…..is a Metalloid!"

"A metal wha?!"

"That's what Ridley decided to call them. It was later picked up by the Smashers. This thing…..is nothing more but a golem, formed through metallic formation and then given life by Master. Which means this girl does exist, but acted as the inspiration for this fraud. Isn't that correct?!"

This metalloid fits of giggles annoyed the cyborg as much as made him uneasy. The fingers of her gauntlet skied across the unstained frame of her blade. Whoever was the victim of such plagiarism clearly was a special case. Up until now, no metalloid had ever been witnessed gaining actual flesh, if you could call it that. Two questions remained though, how skilled was she in combat and why she stood before them with malicious intent in mind.

"Yo…..ari….darkn…..Mast…..not…...aaaaaaarggh, "Weavel took aim at her head, legitimately frightened by what he just heard. Although incoherent, sounds poured from her mouth, like she was trying to communicate. A feat that no other metalloid was capable of.

Pacing back and forth frantically, the metalloid forced herself to make complete sentences, failing miserably every time. It was almost as if she struggled to even get air out; her voice would just quickly go quiet at times. The false innocence she showcased dissolved into a childish tantrum. Rapidly striking her chest in hopes of improving her chances, though it didn't help. Metalloids are also known to act similarly to the original, which spoke wonders about the actual person.

"Eyyyy…..mate, this lollipop of a bird has a few loose screws. She is just acting all kinds of loony!"

"If I had to guess, she has grown more sentient than I thought. Metalloids shouldn't be able to speak either, but this one is upset that she can only emit sounds. Here I thought I was looking at something special; she's nothing more but an unfinished waste of carbon, a defect!"

Upon hearing that, her eye instantly narrowed toward the cyborg, "...kill….kill…...kill…...kill…."

"Oh great, she can actually say a word! Congrats defect, you are now at the same level of a first grader."

Grexx intervened, "Uhhh, you sure you wanna tick off the candy bird when she can sick these buggers on us any second?"

"I don't give a damn about them right now, kill th….."A spontaneous series of explosions rocked the landscape, almost causing everybody to lose balance. Such sounds were reminiscent of mortar fire from the Destroyers. "What the…..are the Destroyers firing?!"

Weavel tapped the side of his helmet, contacting staff onboard the ships. Malicious humanoids finally begun to stir. Fellow Lancers rose up their shields which took up the shape of an enlarged oval reaching the user's height. Guns were trained on the unknown.

"DAMN IT ALL, WIDOW GAVE THE ORDER! The Imperials are trying to rush through the bombardments. They'll run through us pretty soon, "Weavel's hidden energy sword came to life, hissing for the enemy's lifeblood. He directed his weapon for the metalloid who seemingly took great joy in the new dilemma. "YOU, DID YOU….."

"Weavel, she didn't bloody…..predict this would happen…..right?!"

"SHE WAS JUST DISTRACTING US SO WE GET CAUGHT BY THEIR APPROACH!"

"Then these undead buggers are to buy more time. Huh, well I reckon we deal with these lot pretty quickly now. STRIKE…."

Upon command, each Lancer leaped at high speeds for an individual humanoid. A forceful strike against their upper body with the energy shield sent them stumbling to their backs. Each downed figure of darkness found themselves assaulted by a barrage of energized bullets. No blood oozed out of them, but their motionless bodies did begin to evaporate. When the figures of shadows finally decided to react, Grexx flug his disks for two female mages preparing to conjure a spell. Each blade managed to grind through their throats; Grexx managing to send them stumbling down but not enough to kill them.

Weavel entrusted the enraged shadows to his comrades; he refocused his attention on the metalloid. Several rounds from his pistol struck her upper body. Although the gritting of her teeth showed pain, her metal exterior wouldn't make it so easy to slay her. Swatting away the ash, she wildly dashed for him. Their swords clashed with equal prowess behind them. During the struggle, he took aim once more for her head. She leaned her head just enough to evade the rounds, backing up shortly after. She ducked beneath another round, slicing upward into his hand. Such force made him lose his grip; the pistol hurled into the chaotic struggle between shadows and fellow pirates. Reforming her stance almost instantly, she attempted to strike her sword down upon his helmet. Blocking her attack once again, he utilized most of his strength to push her back.

Their fight slowly took them away from their allies. Quakes and soundous explosions couldn't distract either fighter. This metalloid's fighting style spoke of a chaotic nature. Unlike those before her who showed constant indifference, her widened eye accompanied by an intense smile revealed a feeling of spine tingling bloodlust that surpassed even Grexx. Her strikes did well in revealing her expertise with a sword, but were wild in nature. All this amplified by the fact that she was a metalloid; her physical capabilities were slightly beyond that of an average human. A mere imitation fighting with such unrelenting passion for his demise only continued to speak about the original. It was a game of dodges and blocks; neither combatant could afford to cease their movements.

She found herself being pushed back more with each clash. Weavel noticed that if she continued on her path, her back would collide with a tree's frame. As soon as he lunged his sword forward thinking she would be halted by the tree if she proceeded going backwards, she leapt high above the strike for the tree. She twisted herself mid air to where she latched onto the tree's frame, looking down upon him. Her nails burrowed through the wood; her feet somehow glued themselves to it as if an insect. This too could had been the result of this metallic composition. Too much force made Weavel impale the tree instead. The metalloid took this opportunity to jump quite a distance over and behind Weavel. Upon landing, she threw her sword with deadly accuracy. The cyborg swatted it away with his remaining arm; it hurled into the bushes along the sides.

Removing the blade from the tree was simplistic. He proceeded to walk toward her with his blade pointed for the heart, no longer perceiving her as a threat.

"That was a very dumb move, metalloid, "It did bother him that despite being defenseless, she still wore that same, carefree smile. After stretching out her hand, his scanners caught a thin, silver liquid swiftly slithering to her from the area where her sword was. "What the…...the hell is this thing!"

Irritation drove him to charge rapidly for her position. Sadly, his augmented legs failed to match the speed of whatever material made up the sword. It moved passed him within an eye's blink, crawling up along her legs and into her palm. Since she wasn't that far off, he closed the distance, preparing to strike. Ignorant he was to the speed in which the liquid could reform itself into an object. He dreaded the mistake of attacking prematurely. She leaped out the way of his attack, but not before slashing his upper leg. Growls emitted from his voice modules. Gazing upon his injured area, he calmed to a mere scratch. Her sword struck one of the sturdier areas, unlike the black material above it.

After many simple missions from the pirates, rust had begun to coat his skill. He knew he could win in the long run, but the approach army was surely close by. The two stared each other down. She tried her hardest to laugh for whatever reason. Weavel transferred energy from his core and even from other functions he wasn't using at the moment into his fighting arm. He was ignorant to her, but the same could be said to her regarding him. She charged forward, attempting to slash his upper body. He easily swatted her attack with the sword. So much force was now behind his arm that her sword not only left her hand, but she lost her balance. Weavel snatched her flailing arm, bringing her in. Without hesitation, he impaled her through the heart.

"How about we call that…..even, "Weavel kicked the metalloid off his weapon. She fallen unto her back, grasping the wound. Metallic ooze poured from her injury, apparently acting as her lifeblood. Even still, she still continued to smile. Infact, it was almost as if she was pleased with how this played out. When his instincts urged him to finish what she started, his senses picked up another danger. Echoing from a distance, the sound of rampaging men and women warned him of approaching danger. "Oh just my luck!"

The metalloid struggled to regain her footing. Soon afterward, the bird, Weavel could of swore he killed, flew to her shoulders. It was clear to him that this bird observed the entire fight, providing information to Master for potential improvements most likely. Though he wanted to destroy the metalloid, he couldn't ignore the coming Imperials. She waved cheerfully, like the kind you see from a optimistic child. From the bird came a vortex that quickly expanded, engulfing both itself and the girl. He refused to wait for the portal to disappear; he hoped that they had their fill and would leave his unit for now. Upon returning to his allies, he witnessed new sights, and a new disappointment.

More pirates graced him with their presence: two pirate troopers, four shadow pirates, and two pirate hussars accompanied by their Korakk. Aggressive, four legged, large insectoids that follow the whim of their rider. Possessing lengthy back legs and bent, blade-like arms. A brownish carapace surrounded its body. Not only did it possess a horn beneath its mouth that curved upward, but held two others along the jaw. When phazite lost its durability after the loss of Phaaze, a slightly weaker material of a dark orange coloration replaced the armor protecting its skull. A small hole within the creature's back was where riders would position themselves.

These pirates were most likely searching for early game as they waited for the main course. Understandable considering shadow pirates tend to wanna perfect obsolete technology before being considered for the upgraded variant, Seekers. Sadly, the transport ship was in a state of disrepair. Those creatures tore apart the fuel vents that allowed for flight. The turrets were unharmed, but it wouldn't be seeing the sky again. Weavel expressed his anxiety.

"GREXX, wha…..what is this?!"

"Argh, sorry mate! Buggers stood tall for a bunch of passionless corpses. Those…..behemoths kept whacking away at the engines. The sneaky lot finally put em down though so…..not all bad."

"And the army that is literally about to be on top of us?"

"Well….isn't that what we came here for? Bashing a few skulls here and there seems like the ole business as usual."

"So you're up for killing about ONE MILLION SOLDIERS?!"

"ONE MILL…...well I suppose we would do well with a warm up!"

Weavel ignored the blood thirsty officer, transmitting a message to all grounded soldiers, "All units be advised, officer Grexx and I encountered unknown hostiles led by a metalloid. We destroyed them, but the metalloid escaped and may try and attack other units. Furthermore, the Imperials are trying to force themselves through mortars and may attack anything on sight. Those who are separated from the main group need to fall back, but those who are relatively close to my location need to provide aid. Our ATC got disabled during the fight and the army will impede our retreat. With that said, we have to forget about waiting for them. Form an offensive wall, and push toward them. Kill any Imperials that you come across until they retreat."

"Sooooo…...now what, "Grexx reeled his one hand back to the sounds of Imperials rapidly closing in.

"Well, I say we got two options, "Weavel snatched his pistol from the dirt. He took aim for the roars from afar. "One, we stay here and hold our ground. Two, there is a small stronghold not too far from here. Saw it during our flight for your position. That be a better place to hold out than in the open."

"Well the second one be a smart plan mate!"

"Then follow my lead. Pilot, try to get the turrets back online. We could use the distraction to get some distance."

Blood red armor of Imperial troops finally entered into view. Though small in numbers as of now, the first set of Imperials may had gotten an early start; more troopers would eventually overwhelm them. Upon witnessing the foreign creatures guarding their ship. All of them ceased their movements. Even though the Imperials didn't proceed, the pirates dared not to let their numbers grow. A series of energy bolts soared between the trees, striking those unfortunate to be in their path. Bladed disks hovering around the area easily had mages crashing down into the dirt from a single hit. Panicked soldiers either rushed behind trees that barely protected them, or got shot in the back several times trying to reach them.

Horseback riders eventually came into view accompanied by heavily armored units. The pirate hussars decided it was their time to shine. The two units rushed off into the fray with their lances fully activated. Blaster fire along with the terrifying appearance of the Korakk had some Imperial horses reeling their front legs high, eventually turning the other way. The riders were if not even more panicked than the horses; their unsettled minds couldn't control their beasts. Hussars used this opportunity to greatly extend the length of their lances, piercing through the human's from behind. Foolishly brave knights tried to strike the Korakk's back legs, though it was equal to striking stone. The sensation only managed to annoy the beast, frantically turning their back legs before kicking one of them with great force. Their flying bodies would dent trees with ease. Armored soldiers kicked and hollered as they were dragged by the Korakk's tongue; soldiers caught by the beasts were quickly struck down by hussar's lances.

Weavel kept his focus on horseback riders, causing the horses to crash upon their sides with a well placed shot. He slammed a fist onto the ship's exterior more times than he needed to, gaining the pilot's attention.

"We don't have all day!"

"Systems are a bit slow from the beating it took. Shouldn't be too long now!"

"WEAVEL, "The cyborg suddenly found himself forced to his knees by one of the Stellar lancers, slamming the shield in front of them. A torrent of flames slammed into it; the pirate had little trouble keeping his body steady. Once the flames dissipated, a lone mage off in the distance attempted to conjure another spell. "Your turn sir!"

"Certainly, "Weavel leaned along the shield's side, sending a round right into the enemy's head. "Thanks."

"We should give our thanks after the Imperials been dealt with!"

"Agreed."

Any worry he was experiencing was severely overshadowed by the hatred he held for the Imperial commander. Having once met him before, he expected a second chance at life would teach him the proper way of leading comrades. The look of utter defeat on their commander's face wasn't a want, but a need for Weavel. To know that thousands would feed this realm's flora due to their commander's incompetent, outdated method of waging battle. Weavel hoped to avoid causing heavy Imperial casualties, but that dream had long since passed when Widow took command.

Rapid blaster fire gunned down hordes of incoming soldiers from a distance. Weavel instantly recognized their design. The newly modified skirmish drone, Jolly Roger. Without the presence of phazon, they were forced to redo the drones exterior composition and implant slightly less efficient cores. Six drones scattered all across the battlefield, soaring past Imperials who tried desperately to strike them only to be struck by a barrage of energy rounds. Scaring off a group of knights from the sides came three more pirate hussars whose beasts toppled over sturdy trees. Weavel caught sight of a mercenary charging for their position, and no other pirate noticed him. He swiftly took aim for his head. Just when he was about to fire, the man just fell face first to the ground hard as if a boulder fell on him. The human looked behind him to see nothing but flora, though the sudden appearance of a floating energy blade spoke another story. It plunged into his back. His screams were muffled by some unknown entity forcing his head into the dirt. It wasn't until blood flew and sat in the air did he understand what happened.

Uncloaked, a pirate with the same body type as the shadow pirate showcased its ranking. Its upper body was encased in violet armor from head to toe. Electrical energy crackled around his body, almost acting like an aura of sorts. Such intense energy even revealed the cobalt shields at times. Unlike the yellow blades attached to shadow pirates, theirs was cobalt. Its eyes hid behind a helmet with a bright blue orb in the center. Upon crossing its blade along its chest, two more of the same type showed up. These pirates were the advanced version of shadow pirates, the Seekers.

"You should have called in the Metalloid upon its arrival. I would have disposed of it immediately."

"You could imagine my surprise when a metalloid came to greet us of all things!"

"Master works in mysterious ways. Anyway, we scouted ahead before backtracking. I say you have approximately seven minutes before you get overwhelmed!"

"GREAT, JUST OUR…"

Heavy blaster fire flew over Weavel's head, shredding through Imperials regardless of their armor. The turret's recognition systems thankfully was left unscathed, taking care to cease fire when a pirate ran into their line of sight.

"Good, that's our cue! EVERYONE, WE'RE HEADING TO THE FORT NOW!"

One of the hussars roared Weavel's orders to those too consumed by bloodlust to catch it, thankfully grabbing their attention. Weavel was the first to flee away from the incoming army. All units gave chase, leaving disgruntled soldiers to face the ship's defenses. Hussars could easily outrun those forced to travel by foot, but slowed their beast down as to not completely abandon them. Information regarding their destination was sent to all the unit's visor by Weavel's very own. Staying in the open was too much of a hazard. To many pirate commanders, fleeing from a fight was seen as cowardice, and those labeled as such were killed. Though he too hated just looking at a coward, both him and Grexx agreed that there was a difference between bravery, and plain foolishness. This same mindset drove the Imperials into sparring with a foe who clearly surpassed them in every way. A Imperial commander so set in his ways, a thousand losses wouldn't even have him reconsider his way of leading.

An overly abundance of roars reminiscent of wyverns echoed throughout the sky. It would be best for the unit not to run through patches of land absent of trees lest face an onslaught of beast riders, hindering their retreat. Though as soon as he thought this, a wyvern crashed through the branches and into the ground off in a distance. Scanners picked up a large concentration of heat signatures and outlines of space pirate ship designs. With their approach, wyverns fell to the planet in rapid succession-often landing in spots no where close to them, other times crashing close or even directly in front of the Korakks, sending them in a short lived panick. Blood gushed from Wyvern's massive open wounds; it seemed that their ships were very effective.

"BEAST BUGGERS, "Upon hearing Grexx's urgent message, they all gazed back to the sight of eight horseback riders charging for their position. Either the mages destroyed the turrets, or their numbers were too great to hinder them as effectively.

"Hmph, is that all, "One of the Seekers typed in codes onto a device strapped to his arm. "And now we wait!"

The group kept running with the Hussars being very tempted to turn around and let their pets go wild. Grexx grasped both bladed disks, estimating how far they would need to be thrown. The period of time it took for the Seeker's plan to go into effect made Weavel uneasy. With the beast rider's steadily approaching those who ran by foot, Weavel decided to take aim. Coming to their aid, their drones from early soared for the humans while raining blaster fire upon them. The sight of three fellow riders being shot to the ground made those who remained scatter.

The stone fort was finally within reach, though a good distance away. Beeps echoed throughout Weavels helmet; another pirate tried to establish communications with him.

"Are you still alive, "Active engines could be heard on the other side, clearly from a transporter. Judging by the blaster fire that could also be picked up, he was within the general area above.

"Thankfully yes, though we're relocating for the fort south from my last transmission. Contact two other pilots so you can pick most of us up. I need to have a chat with the Imperial commander."

Bombardments from their Destroyers were striking more frequently. This battle would no doubt draw the attention of Zellios, or what's left of them anyway. Protected by drones circling around human beast riders who wished to impede their progress, Weavel and co. found relief in the fort of interest revealing itself. It seemed more like an outpost than anything, unlike major forts that are a mile or more long. It was sadly evident that the wear and tear from many battles had taken its toll on it. The tips of spires seemed as if they were blasted off with holes scattered across its frame. The unit could finally tend to their burning lungs upon reaching the disfigured entrance. It was clear this fort was left to rot: staircases for the upper levels were in mere fragments, remnants of shattered barrels sprinkled all over the untouched soil, pillars surrounded in flora. Grexx leaned against one of the stone pillars before speaking his mind.

"Mate, this ain't what I like to call….a safe bet!"

"Didn't you hear me requesting pick up?"

"Too busy leading my arse away from death! With the expl…...well speak of the devil!"

ATC ships slowed into view, hovering down for them. A Hussar took his beast beside Weavel, gazing down on him.

"What will you have us do?"

"Keep heading south until you meet our advancing line. Your Korakks should be able to outrun horses. Once you regroup with them, you're basically going to resume following my previous order. Proceed northward, killing any Imperial you come across until they are no more, or they retreat."

"Understood, MOVE OUT!"

Hussars slapped the side of their beast, taking off for the incoming pirate forces. More pirate aircraft soared over their heads, seemingly gaining air superiority.

"Grexx, you're with me, "Weavel pointed to two other Lancers. "You'll accompany us."

They bowed to his command. Grexx slipped his blades back upon his legs, joining up with Weavel within the ATC. Grexx made his peace with the battlefield he had longed for. Hatches closed off this calming sight; darkness swiftly enshrouded the entirety of its interior. Shortly afterward, a blood red lighting radiated dimly across the interior. Somewhat visible pirates sat upon airborne seats strapped to the inner walls. Both Lancers took time to check the functionality of their rifle; taking care of one's weapons was a trait Grexx could respect. Nearly toppled over due to the ship's abrupt lift off, the officer composed himself before sitting directly in front of Weavel whom's bright visor made him distractingly stick out.

What was he here for again? This question tumbled around his mind for the longest time since his awakening. Mostly likely didn't involve bloodshed since it bored him enough to sleep. Grexx were willing to fault himself for underestimating the woman Weavel spoke of. Quite the tundra her heart must had been, utilizing Destroyers against such primitive creatures was pure overkill. Not only Weavel, but even the bloodthirsty Ridley wanted him to be her leash. Could it had been that Ridley couldn't had been bothered to babysit her and had Grexx handle it, or was this woman truly that dangerous. He was curious as to why Ridley would had given her command over an army that immense in the first place.

"What's got you so bothered, "Weavel noticed how unusually tense Grexx was. His heart rate steadily climbed to a point where it was as if he ran for a short time. His voice barely grasped Grexx's attention. The officer turned his way, widening his eyes like he was caught off guard despite how casual Weavel's comment was.

"Wha…...oh, no…...i'm just peachy. You see…...I'm gonna be frank mate, I sorta…..forgot what I was supposed to do with the Imperials."

"You gotta be….., how did you forget the very last part. When we begin phase two, it's recommended that we have humans for familiarity. So, we're tasked with acquiring their services."

"Right…..right, so what you're saying is we ain't asking?"

"No duh we aren't asking. Ridley thought it be…..efficient to make an example out of them though. Like…..kill a small portion of them perhaps to make a point."

"Kinda too late for that dream mate! Killed a whole lot more than a little!"

"I know, but I rather not anger them further."

"Ha, otherwise what? They gonna poke us with their little sticks? Whisper a deadly tune before we can pull the triggers?"

"Let's just say…...the least amount of deaths will mean the least amount of time it'll take for them to get used to us."

"Ahhh, buttering them up with their own life."

"Now you're getting it. We'll be stationing ourselves somewhere within the Outrealm. Some suggested we even destroy the Zellios kingdom."

To oust the warriors and rulers of Zellios, Grexx leaned back to ponder this action. The objectives of this mission flowed back to him, along with the ruinous scenario the nation was going through. Spies have identified the two rival countries pursuing global domination: the kingdom of Nemoko of the west, and Unipa of the south. Zellios fought tooth and nail to defend their territory. With the arrival of the Imperials, the forces were divided, their morale stricken.

"Conquering a broken kingdom eh, "Grexx voice gave off such a dispirited tone; it was clear this tactic bothered him. "We just picking up loose scraps mate. Destroyers will clean up the place before I even set foot on the ground."

"I'm not paid to care about our method, and quite frankly, neither are you! There is some sense to their thinking. Zellios will lose this war regardless if the Imperials are beaten or not; they've suffered too many losses to these invaders."

"Hmmm…...well I got final say right?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well…...correct me if I'm wrong, but I do recall you saying how I was the gal's leash. I be sitting on a higher position then. Innit that right mate?"

"Well I don't know about all that. Not quite sure where she stands in terms of command. They follow her, but only because Ridley gave the command."

"Here's the rub, I've been…..interested in these blokes since the day we've started keeping tabs on em. Hearts hard as their bloody armor is what I witnessed. Why…...it's almost inhuman to have this much fight in them, for a pack of humans anyway. Madness this may be coming from me, but offing them seems a bit…...ehhhhhh….inefficient. Warriors such as these…...I know their kind, they're the scratch my back and I'll scratch yours blokes."

"You wanna recruit them? Can't say I approve of this plan. Humans only see us one way."

"Sir, the Imperials are retreating, "Every pirate rose their head to the good news. Most impressed of all was Weavel who expected a longer skirmish. "And I got word that Widow is heading for the main forces via transport."

"WHAT, "Weavel slammed his fist against the hardened walls. "That woman…...what is she plotting now?!"

Grexx intervened, "So i'm guessing we're meeting with the bird ey? You know we'll be right on top of the army without our own!"

"We'll be fine with the Destroyers watching over us. For now, I just need to see her and the Imperial commander. Pilot, get us there asap!"

Though it was evident that achieving their goal required more muscle power, the radical ideals and mindsets these newcomers brought would surely cause several wars amongst the ranks. It basically came down to who had more to gain from their operation. Widow kept quiet regarding her reasoning for joining. Weavel feared what would happen once the specimens were to finally hatch. Would their union just fracture into several factions in pursuit of obtaining their goals faster. He supposed these kinds of worries is why Ridley somewhat forgave Prime for her brainwashing before; he too wished to avoid needless betrayals. Hopefully the one who brought them all together shared his beliefs. It wasn't easy to trust a being who originated from the void, just like Master.

With the slight shake of the ship, Weavel knew they hit the ground. Silence spread worry amongst the ranks, only the muffled roars of flames gave them a hint to what was outside.

"Far as I can tell, the Imperials are not attacking Widow's unit, "Said the pilot over the speakers, attempting to give the passengers some sense of relief.

The hatches opened, revealing the quick work the Destroyers dished out. Planetary strikes fell like meteors, remodeling the impacted, lush landscape into a dead moon. Craters were scattered all over, acting as landfills for loose weaponry and dismantled bodies. A shadow loomed over the ashed land with one of the Destroyers blocking the sun. Weavel looked behind him to see about a mile's worth of deforestation. The wind kept silent in honor of the dead.

"Well, I suppose it's no longer reasonable to doubt her dedication, "Weavel whispered to Grexx who stood beside him.

"Aye, a bit loony in the noggin."

"Anyway, just follow my lead. Hopefully the commander is still alive."

Thoughts of the first time he heard about the Imperial commander filled his head as Weavel carefully navigated around craters. The pirates were the first to discover Ylisse actually, but didn't find much use in studying anything associated with a far inferior race of humans and hybrids. Out of curiosity though, Weavel, and a few other pirate staff, investigated Valm's atmosphere. To many of Valm's citizens, Weavel was treated like a human. He would make the others wait beyond the towns to ensure a manhunt wouldn't befall them. He held no soft spot for humans, but seeing their child-like curiosity as they stared in awe at his armor was somewhat amusing. Though a terrible event happened at the town's gate. A group of men and women claded in blood red armor slaughtered anybody who opposed whatever ideal they wished to force upon the people.

Walhart! That was the name the group's leader gave to them during his little speech of ownership. Their dedication to exterminating resistance made the leader immediately question Weavel's presence, for he was the only one to not flee from the gate. With a sinister snarl, the leader began barking orders, eventually wishing for the armor Weavel wore. After receiving an immediate decline, the leader charged for his position. Easily disarming the soldier's blade, he quickly dispatched him with his own. Using any tools he could afford to give up, he proceeded to kill off the rest of the unit. It was then that the final man cursed his existence, saying how Weavel would eventually die to Walhart when he finally took over all of Valm. Now after all this time, Walhart had found a way to recover from his defeat by Ylisse's king. Seekers spoke of how Walhart jumped from realm to realm, steadily strengthening his army. Grexx was quite impressed with his win streak, but today would be the end of it. He would serve for their new ideal regardless of his stance.

A slight nudge from Grexx drove Weavel from his deep thought. Standing before a grand army just shy from the deforestation's end were the pirate's temporary leader, Widow. Four Lancers observed from the side. Several ATCs hovered in place with their passengers pointing their guns at the trembling soldiers. Two humans stood away from their forces. A single man stood against Widow, but kept to his knees for unknown reasons.

"Walhart, "Weavel's mention of that name prompted a heavy gaze from the kneeled warrior. Their first meeting rushed back to him, during Walhart's first loss. Considered inhuman to most soldiers who somehow survived his brute force, Walhart was truly a demon in human form. "Your army is grand as ever. Glad to see me helping you wasn't a waste of time."

Walhart grasped onto the handle of his massive axe with both hands, forcing out air through his teeth as he ascended. As Weavel remembered, Walhart's imposing, sturdy armor gave one the impression that they stood before an angered demon. Those who were forced to look up upon his frightening size were only met with a face of displeasure. None of the soldiers Weavel interrogated witnessed the corners of Walhart's mouth creep upward, not even a little. Besides his laid down white hair, his mastery of war and bladework spoke of his age. Though it seemed that Walhart was struck by a force beyond even him. There were holes littered throughout his armor. One of the horns attached to his open helm were gone. The black cape that at one point was never touched by blades were not only torn, but had burn marks. Even one of the gauntlets he wore were broken, mostly revealing the skin of his upper arm.

"What, you two got history now, "Widow spat out with her back still turned, most likely the cause of Walhart's downfall. "Can't believe it talks so much about order while picking up the most dangerous criminals around."

"And who would you be referring to?"

"How the hell would I know? You never let me anywhere it. Then after I got this eye, it just wouldn't stop talking in my head."

"You're walking on thin ice Widow. That's not something to discuss infront of…."

"Oh shut up, "Widow barked as she turned for him. Bandages covered her left eye. Despite giving off the impression that body part was injured, Weavel's scanners picked up intense energy signatures from it. Advanced armor covered Widow's body from the neck down, definitely space pirate design. It were reminiscent of Prime's body before she adopted the form of Samus Arin. Before he could make out any noteworthy details, the suit started to deteriorate right away. Akin to a chemical reaction, the suit in its entirety sizzled as it bubbled into a odd mist-like substance. Particles started to converge just above Widow's breast. A mechanical black spider attached itself to her skin, absorbing all of what became of the suit. All that remained was a violet, skin tight jumpsuit similar to Samus' attire. "Did you forget what time period this was? They're all just a bunch of idiots swinging swords."

"HOW…...DARE YOU, "Walhart roared out, barely grasping the interest of Widow. Despite demonstrating the posture of a elderly man on the verge of death, Walhart's spirit had to be commended to had shouted in his weakened state. The man gave a stare, that would make hardened warriors tremble, aside from Weavel who already grown accustomed to it. "As expected from a demon. Foolish it was to lend a demon my hand."

"What you going on….,"

"NOT YOU ACCURSED WENCH! You…...Weavel wasn't it? Didn't I warn you from using my name?"

Widow's eyes rolled for the devastated lands, nonchalantly walking away from the two, "I don't wanna listen to this melodrama shit. Just do what you gotta do. Don't take too long killing him either!"

Weavel shook his head at the women. She knew very well they weren't permitted to kill Walhart. Glancing back at him, it wasn't a surprise to see how Widow's bloodthirsty attitude did little against Walhart's hardened will. The man bore his teeth at the cyborg, looking as if he was prepared to send his axe after Weavel's frame at any second. The same expression could not be found amongst the soldiers beyond him. Though grand in size, the prowess of the Destroyers did well in reminding them how easy it was to end them.

"Your injuries were made by Widow, am I right?"

"No, they be done by the dastard winds. OF COURSE IT WAS THAT BLASTED WOMAN. When she stood before my stricken army, she demanded a duel between myself and her. Since I could no longer move my soldiers, I decided to take up arms. One must ponder how much that wench sacrificed to be gifted such strength. Such demonic power was no doubt your doing. Well, I will offer her no pity for when her time on the chopping block comes. Exactly how I gave in to your temptations, to then be struck down by your kin later down the road."

"Hmph, I think you mean thanks for saving me from death. Honestly, your wounds would have killed you had I came two minutes later. I usually charge for having to kill that many soldiers, but I did all that free of charge. Aren't I just a swell guy?"

"You have the nerve to test my patience like this? You think me so defeated that I wouldn't throw my axe your way?"

"That right there is why Chrom had to kill you, or try to at least. Not that I blame him. No one would look at a rampaging, citizen killing conquer as some hero."

"Gods, to be lectured on morality by a thieving traitor. I care not for your hypocrisy, but your blade will not slay me so easily."

"Argh, I'm thinking about joining Widow's club now. I'm not here to kill you, "Snatching the pouch from his belt, Weavel tossed out a crystal to the man's feet. Its radiant glow made it easy to locate in the grass. "We're here to offer you a chance at redemption."

"And to hell with everyone else?"

"What happened wasn't my call. My guess was Widow wanted to prove a point. Not like anyone back home is going to care about a few losses. Anyway, the rest will be brought along as well. That crystal right there functions like those gates you use. You'll be having a conversation with someone who'll explain why working for us is completely beneficial"

"I know little about your trinkets."

"Good thing the creators made it very simply to use for a very simple creature like yourself. All you need to do is hold it, the one on the other side will eventually open it."

"And how will it know just by me merely holding it?"

"Oh it'll know, trust me."

Heavy growls escaped Walhart as he wasted no time in snatching the crystal. As his eyes processed the foreign object, his gaze softened to some degree. It was then that an invisible force caused Walhart to grasped onto his head, groaning in pain. Walhart's eyes widened to the sudden appearance of a rift appearing behind Weavel.

"Wh…..who am….I hearing? What tric….kery have…..you commited?"

"No trick, just the one who is going to interview you."

"It would wish to inspect you too it seems."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me well. It wished to see you too."

"Oh great, I get to hear more of your robust bravado."

"The feeling is mutual thief, I assure you."

As Walhart struggled to stand on his feet, Weavel offered his hand. Without hesitation, the warrior swatted the cyborg's offer away. All the Imperials could do is stare in awe, fearing the rainfall of flaming orbs. Weavel knew this, thus didn't bother giving them a fair warning. Walhart took his time for the rift with Weavel following closely behind. Ripples constantly flowed from the rift's center. A blurry image of the other side was unnerving to both of them. Weavel never witnessed the realm of their organizer before. Infact, he never saw this individual. The only ones to had witnessed it were Prime, Ridley, and Ganondorf.

As Walhart stepped through the rift, his being was consumed by the dark blue image. When Weavel saw his armor completely disappear, he stepped through as well. To Weavel's surprise, it didn't function like the vortices that he grown accustomed to. It was like stepping through a door into another room. Upon reaching the other side, a stone staircase leading to a temple higher up greeted his feet. Along with Walhart, Weavel stared in silent awe upon an expansive city.

Beneath a bright emerald sky devoid of sunlight, a civilization of stone and metal harbored an abundance of vehicles capable of flight. Beyond the blackened beaches, the ocean's were bleached white. Hovering over the tops of some buildings, lay colossal cobalt crystals that shined akin to stars. The world seemed ancient with most of the structures being composed of some stone-like material. Then there were metal composed buildings that stood higher than the temple they were near-each firing a beam of violet energy into the sky through some sort of opening on the roof.

"Weavel…..Walhart, "Cutting their disbelief short, a knight in silver armor approached them. It looked as if he came from the temple, awaiting their arrival. The armor was nothing unique, something you often see on the average Ylisse trooper. A man of olive complexion held the strangest set of eyes. Their entirety glowed an eerie violet. "It's pleased to know you both came."

"YOU…..WHAT ARE YOU? ARE YOU A MAN, OR AN ILLUSION, "Hollered Walhart, taking a few steps toward the stranger.

"A man last time I checked. It must be the eyes, right? Don't be offended, I won't be turning you into stone anytime soon."

"It's about eight hundred years too soon to be making that kind of joke with him, "Weavel said as he took a glance back at the foreign city."

"What do…..oh, I see! So this be your accursed homeworld, Weavel. It certainly fits your strange image."

"Hey, I'm just as surprised as you are. This is the first time I've been here as well."

"You serve a creature, yet know not its world? I would mistake you for a Risen if I didn't know better."

"Now now, remember what you came here for, "The stranger said with a smile. Just like the city, nothing about this man seemed hostile.

"Well it's evident that you're not the one who requested us, " Weavel said with his sights rested on the stair's end, already aware of where their organizer might be.

"Of course not. The temple's entrance is what you seek."

"Hmph, figures. Mind telling me who I'm about to address?"

"Semazai, remember it well."

"Semazai, already starting off weird, "Weavel walked passed the knight, glancing over at Walhart. "Get a move on!"

Weavel cared not for the soundous grunts Walhart emitted, but was unnerved by the realm. Did this Semazai character hold dominion over these people, or was it merely a minion to something greater. It was a pain to admit, but Walhart was right. This entity came from the void, the same plane of existence that spawned the accursed Crazy hand. This entity not only revived Prime, but gave the pirates back Ridley. According to Ganondorf, who acted as Semazai's messenger, doing so depleted its energy to where it couldn't maintain a physical form. For some reason, Semazai was incapable of moving about on its own. Besides Semazai's reasoning, many knew next to nothing about the one they aided.

Taking a closer look at the temple's design, it was reminiscent of pyramids. The stair's end was near, but the temple's tip kept going way beyond that, almost like it tried to pierce the sky. Didn't help that his robotic body couldn't make heads or tails of the situation. Whatever power source they kept within the temple made his threat level readings constantly shift between maxed and minimum. Thankfully, their travel continued to have no resistance from the bewildered Walhart, still weighed by his injuries. Upon reaching the top, Weavel groaned to the idea of more walking. Their widened path was littered with gray pillars covered in vines led through the temple. When Walhart finally joined him, and the stranger who for some reason slowed to his pace, Weavel braced himself for the energy source that was just ahead.

With the skyward light shielded by the temple's roof, an abundance of torches strapped to the pillars' frame guided them. Intelligible voices whispered from all directions, prompting Weavel to conjure his energy blade. With the bright glow of the sword, foreign insects swiftly scurried out of view. A violet glow made up all the torch's flames, somehow revealing sky blue texts of an unknown language along the pillars' frame.

"What in Naga's name is this world, "Walhart's concern echoed through the halls.

"Oealimp, the birthplace of civilization, "The stranger said with the same smile he wore since their first meeting. "I apologize for not saying so earlier."

"And this…...Oealimp is the birthplace of this…..Semazai?"

"Not exactly, but it isn't in the best position to go into details. After all, it has grown quite weak recently."

"To where it couldn't maintain a physical form, "Weavel shouted behind himself.

"Sadly, yes."

"NONSENSE, "Walhart's roar had dozens of hidden creatures crawl away from them. Both Weavel and the stranger stopped in their tracks to Walhart slamming his fist into a pillar. "You expect me to be won over with mere words? A monstrosity could easily speak peaceful tales, much like the tongue of Grima! What reason is there for this creature to be weakened?!"

"Could've been the resurrections, "Weavel calmly said.

"Res…..urrections, "Walhart's moment of shock quickly gave way to aggression. "That makes it even less trustworthy, thief! You've seen the infestation that haunted Valm, the Risen. Were they not born from resurrection as well?"

"You're right? I have seen Risen before, but that is exactly why I'm willing to give it a shot. One of the resurrected was my leader, and there wasn't a trace of Risen biology to be found."

"Bio….logy, Walhart pondered the word for a second, choosing to forget the word as he shook his head. "Nevermind! It's merely one of many oddities that surround you."

"And there are many more. Keep moving!"

When the end was finally within reach, they were greeted by an artifact in front of a stone door. A white, mist-like substance poured from the slit. More foreign insects were imprinted upon the door's design, glowing an eerie white. A glossy black, stone stand held a violet orb with a cobalt liquid swirling within. The stand's bowl-like top held the artifact perfectly. Weavel's scanners couldn't even give him any data, like it didn't even exist. Curiosity drove Weavel to reach for it, but not without grabbing the attention of a hidden entity.

"So…...you've come, "A soundous voice called to them, echoing through the whole chamber. Weavel quickly retracted, unwilling to respond. The voice was a mixture of masculine and feminine tones. It was calm, with a hint of genuinity. "Please…..don't be alarmed! I'm the one you seek."

"Your…..Semazai, "Weavel whispered with a hint of doubt.

"Indeed. You must be wondering why I would call upon you if my interest was the fallen king. From the eternal void, I felt confusion arising in emass. Unity…...is the key. My identity couldn't be kept in secret any longer, that I knew. As predicted, the resurrected came under suspicion. So…..I called upon you to be the witness, my savior. I wish only to be honest with you, life depends on it."

"Depends on it. What do you mean, "Walhart hollered. "What is about to befall my world?!"

"Walhart, the fallen king. I apologize for your massive losses, but the dedication of our forces is a power to be reckoned with."

"You're evading my questions, creature!"

"I…...I'm sorry, my current state isn't the most stable. I'm afraid my consciousness is drifting. Soon, I shall fall into the void once more. However, there is one other I wish to discuss terms with."

"Hmph, there is no one else notable in my army."

"I'm not referring to your army, fallen one."

"You can't mean, "Weavel said, taken aback by the suggestion.

"The one you call Grexx has shown interest in the Zellios region, am I correct?"

"How do you know about that? No one but….."

"In due time, my friend. I'm also aware of the main suggestion floating around your ranks, the takeover of Zellios. I wish to spare their kingdom in hopes of gathering their strength."

"Look, I'm glad you wish to join everybody's hands, but that just adds another problem. We still need a base."

"Ahhhh yes, your place of operation. Then I propose that we strike against another weakened kingdom. One that would be well within the sight of the Chasers."

"Why are you bringing them up?"

"A terrible fate has befell them. They are distracted. We have a short window of time where they won't interfere."

"Not even going to ask how you know anything about them. I'll be sure to tell the others about Zellios. For now, you need to tell me your idea."

"Valm! Conquer Valm in its entirety."

* * *

Author Notes

I decided that every now and then I would make side chapters exploring the villain's point of view. Any chapters of that nature will have "A.V" in the name when selecting chapters. I hope you enjoy it.

Beta: **AreiaCananaid**


	9. Rehabilitation

Slippery Rehabilitation

The events that transpired on Kalos left all the Chasers uneasy. Sylux, one of many bounty hunters who struck against the Federation, finally revealed his ill intent toward the newcomers, Greninja and Ruto. Although the Reptilicus' aid nearly brought about the deaths of all Chasers who investigated the strange sightings, Sylux found himself almost knocking on death's door. Soon after the arrival of a more intelligent Reptilicus, Sylux was quickly brought to his knees by an overwhelming force which consumed Gardevoir-a negative energy that made her an enemy to everyone, including her allies. Thanks to the efforts of a friendly Reptilicus, the negativity was drained from the pokemon.

Although, no one left the battlefield more scarred than Ruto. Holes were littered across her memories ever since she awakened. Now she wished to be under blissful ignorance rather than struggle against a damning truth. By her own hand, she earned the hatred of the Zora by slaying a handful of them. They despised her to the point where they requested the assistance of an outsider to have her undone. What was wrong with her mind? What ill thoughts did those space pirates implant into her to have caused such actions. To even gain the trust of one Zora after what she had done was a grand surprise. Whatever held her goodwill hostage while under the watchful eye of those pirates couldn't be allowed to gain hold again.

After Ruto managed to somehow save Greninja and herself, they retreated to their capital ship via vortex. The eventual awakening of Greninja may had helped raise morale, but his injuries continued to take their toll on him. While Ruto took it upon herself to carry the frog over her back, he drifted in and out of consciousness all the way to the medical bay. A stab through Ruto's heart by Sylux's hand held no after effects. It was as if she was never injured. Every beat her heart emitted sent chills through her spine. Such an insane, foreign healing factor would make her seem monstrous to her own kin. Thankfully, onboard medical staff informed them that Greninja would make a rapid recovery, mostly thanks to pokemon's surprising durability. Several new weapon designs were put on hold by Gardevoir's order in favor of crafting a more durable nano-machine that could hopefully survive Ruto's bizarre immune system. Greater caution was needed to combat oddities in the near future.

Low toned conversations of future mishaps and potential successes were spread across one of many chambers where the Chasers and onboard staff conducted most of their business. Instead of bright white, light sources strapped to the roof and walls emitted a dimly lit orange coloration across the space. Many humans proceeded with their business with portable lamps beside them. Holograms from table-like consoles that showcased high definition replays of previous fights that involved a Chaser were set to mute. Escalators leading to the second and first floor ceased operations for the time being.

Gazing upon a recuperating Greninja in deep slumber on one of the medical beds closest to the glass walls, a disturbed Ruto sat along one of the lengthy tables overlooking the medical bay. Her passion for knowledge waged war against whatever pain surfaced from new truths; the wide hole within her memories seemingly contained nothing but horrific tales.

"Why…...why am I like this? What did they do to me, "These questions overshadowed any other concern that tried to surface within her mind. She thought about them so much, that it occasionally, quietly, escaped her mouth. The icy bite of the metallic seat couldn't even somewhat distract her from persistent worries. Her body was foreign to her, tempered beyond understanding at the current moment. Her heart beats only added to self-doubt. The beats were slow, but painless. The pain she felt when she awoke on Kalos soil was nearly unbearable, but faded into nothingness after boarding the capital ship. She finally recalled the moment when the hunter pierced her heart and supposedly killed her. Though without the aid of the medical staff or magic, she simply stood back up with her wounds closed.

" _Ruto, "_ A familiar feminine voice echoed throughout her mind, just barely grasping her attention. She lazily turned her head to witness Gardevoir standing behind her. There was a hint of somberness within her eyes, almost sympathy. Pressing her fingers together, Gardevoir took a quick glance over to her resting friend before directing her attention back to Ruto.

" _Many hours hast passed since thy troublesome encounter. When will thou seek sleep_?"

"When these thoughts cease keeping me awake, "Ruto turned for the frog once more. "I wager a guess you don't want me around others?"

" _I thought I felt a disturbance within thee. So my previous order did unbalance thee. I plead for thy forgiveness Ruto. I truly meant no ill will with my words. I'm just as curious as thee about these…..abnormal bodily functions. There be no need for more weapons! What I seek are answers!_ "

"Answers…..sometimes I wonder if even that will help!"

" _I know thou art struggling with oddities, but I beseech thee to fill me in on how thou got thyself and Greninja out of danger so swiftly._ "

Ruto curiously turned for Gardevoir, giving off a crooked eye, "We…...were in danger?"

" _Thou don't know? Sylux threw one of his devices into the river shortly after thou dove for Greninja; he tried to electrocute the both of thee."_

Ruto felt the entirety of being halt for a sole second. A flurry of emotions fixated Ruto's widened gaze upon the pokemon. A worried Gardevoir didn't register in the Zora's mind despite being within plain view. A swarm of rage filled her fist, slamming it onto the table. A worn out will tried desperately to keep the negative emotions from spewing out from Ruto's mouth. With a deep breath, she somewhat forced herself to respond.

"A vortex, that's how…...alright!"

" _A vort…...impossible! As much as I respect thy words, neither thou nor Greninja hold the ability to conjure such things!"_

"I'm telling you the truth. It wasn't like those you conjure, but it did lead to another place. I remember my hand was burning, then water gathered in the form of a mirror's frame. Energy swirled within it, presenting a blurry image. Thinking it was a vortex of sorts, I went through for Greninja's sake. I found myself on dry land. Upon soil, it merely took the form of a puddle swirling around."

" _So thy bracelet is what we owe our thanks to. I'm not too surprised, considering how its composition mimics that of Renaissance. Since I can't think of an alternative, I shalt take thy word as truth_."

"Glad to hear it, but I wish to do some probing of my own. It regards you!"

" _Truly? Well then, I shalt see if I can cleanse thee of questions concerning me._ "

"What became of you back then?!"

Gardevoir was taken aback by the question, taking several steps backward. Only acute sounds escaped her mouth. She rubbed the back of her head while her narrowed eyes spoke of confusion.

" _I'm afraid I don't recall nor understand. Perchance thou could elaborate?_ "

"Mrs. Gardevoir, are you suggesting your will was overridden by some otherworldly force? Does the darkness come naturally to your kin?"

" _Dark…..ness?_ "

"Yes, the vortex happened to transport me close to the battlefield. I remained hidden behind oak for Greninja's sake. As someone who isn't a stranger to the presence of darkness, your very nature seemed…..malicious. You almost killed Sylux, and even became hostile with Lopunny. She had to tap into some type of pure energy that was on par with your own darkness. I ask this because I fear our…...conditions may be one of the same, an overriding will enshrouded in malicious intent."

Gardevoir placed a hand beneath her chin, pondering all the information given to her. Whatever it was had the pokemon shut her eyes from the world for a moment. Ruto eagerly awaited the answer, remaining still and quiet. A soothing thought cooled her frustration slightly, a comrade that understood.

"So that's what she wanted to talk about, "Gardevoir's attempt at silently talking to herself didn't go unnoticed. Though Ruto couldn't hope to comprehend the psychic's animal-like speech, intuition gave her the feeling that Gardevoir had bad experiences with this secondary will. " _I was afraid that was the case._ "

"Ahhh, there you are. Do you know the root cause by chance, or at least the name of your condition?"

" _Both, in fact, and it's synergy._ "

"Ohhhh…...you do understand I expect an explanation now!"

" _Ok, the thing is our home planet excretes natural energy that flows through all living things. Actually…...no, we discovered that every planet gives off energy similar to our own home. There are two kinds of natural energy that humans called synergy: one is a pure version that enters the body of living things more often than the other, then there is its counterpart that can corrupt the host. Both increase the power of the host, but the problem is that most pokemon don't know of their existence, and some that do can't even tap into them by themselves. Besides Greninja and thou however, all current Chasers art capable of utilizing positive synergy._ "

"Then it's safe to say what I saw was….."

" _Indeed, dark synergy. Most of the veteran Chasers hast difficulty controlling it, let alone using it. As of now, myself and Lopunny are the only ones who mastered both positive and dark synergy. It's to a point where our bodies are used to it. Sometimes intense emotions will bring out the dark energy, and if we're not calm enough to recognize it….._ "

"It'll consume you."

" _Right._ "

"Then I must ask, "Ruto rose from her seat with such speed, Gardevoir nearly stumbled backwards. "What makes you so special? How can you use it by yourselves to begin with?!"

" _Simply, we were taught by one of the pokemon who could. Lopunny and I took his teachings and bestowed it upon the others. He too was a Chaser._ "

"Was? You mean…..he isn't amongst you now? Did he retire or….."

Gardevoir's already calm posture became that of a statue. As her eyes closed themselves to the ship, a chill ran through Ruto's mind.

" _I…...don't know._ "

"Oh, "A sudden flash of realization sent Ruto's hands to her mouth. They both stood in silence for a short period of time, pondering its unknown meaning. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't wish to dig out painful memories."

" _No need of filling thyself with dread. Though his mind is beyond even my reach, he isn't so easily bested. I'm positive we'll meet again, and besides…, "Gardevoir managed a weak smile, placing her palm upon Ruto's shoulder. "It's only fair that thou begin probing into our business. We've spent so much time invading thy mind, casting confusion and doubt upon thee._ "

"Heh, fair enough. Though I suppose it's time to ask my biggest question. My…..ailment, could it possibly be some form of dark synergy that caused my evil actions?"

" _Sorry, but it would be all too easy for me to pick up on synergy of any kind. If it truly was synergy, I would hast ridden thou of ignorance quite some time ago. Besides, Greninja spoke of thy aura being blue in coloration; dark synergy would be either black or darkened violet. There are a few other factors that differentiate your condition from mine, but thou get the main idea._ "

"Am I missing something, "An eerie presence just suddenly made itself known to them. Gardevoir looked further down the table to see Greninja casually sitting upon it. A hardened will made itself present within his eyes, perfectly fit for combat. "Didn't mean to disturb your moment but….,"

"Gre….Greninja! I could've sworn thou were still recovering. When did thou stir?"

"Shortly after you started chatting. I wasn't sleeping for the entire time by the way, was just in deep thought at the moment."

"Thou moved that early? Then….our conversation….,"

"Of course I couldn't read your mind, but I could somewhat piece together what you were saying judging by Ruto's responses. Then you started going on about synergy. Correct me if i'm wrong, but it's what our planet produces right?"

"WAIT, THOU KNOW ABOUT SYNERGY?!"

"I know of it, but I was never taught how to use it. It was my kin that taught me the existence of synergy. I evolved and went about finding my own way before they had the chance to teach me, if they even knew how, " Greninja leapt onto the floor, walking towards the two. Already, a soothing sensation washed over his body in finding out that his kin spoke nothing but truths. He crossed his arms upon stopping in front of Gardevoir. "I suppose you do know how to harness it, along with the others."

"You'd be correct. I suppose this is where thou request my teachings?"

"Clairvoyant as always. If you don't think I'm ready now, that's fine. Just know I'm determined to meet your expectations, "Greninja looked down upon his clenching fist. "I can't keep getting in the way. I know all about Ruto's attempt to save me, and how it nearly cost her life. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I never attempted to repay her. I'll make up for this incident until I can't move a finger!"

Gardevoir couldn't speak for everybody else, but her fondness of him grew greatly at that point. She reminisced about this exact scenario with every Chaser before him. She was quickly reminded of how fortunate she was to find only the most competent of allies. Despite his shortcomings, he showcased needed traits that she saw in everybody else. Her smile grew brighter knowing that he would never fall victim to absolute doubt.

"I never once thought thou were in the way. I can't speak for everybody else, but my heart says thou art meeting my current expectations. Thou even saved me once before from Prime. Thou art taking thy occupation seriously, and the lives of those around thee. Regardless of shortcomings, both thou and Ruto hast gone above and beyond, even if thy actions could be considered foolish. Regarding synergy, I like to observe thee for a bit longer. Synergy is a gift, one I can't just teach to anybody. Thy time will come, I assure thee. Now that thou recovered however, I hast something for thee to do."

"Another mission? Let's hear it."

"This time thou shalt be acting according to a client. Thou should know we not only operate as enforcers, but mercenaries of some sort, "She waved for Greninja as she levitated for one of the terminals showcasing the replays. He followed under the impression she was going to reveal her objective. Curiosity drove Ruto to follow as well. Swiftly pressing in desired inputs, Gardevoir brought up an image of a bipedal creature of wide portions.

"This here is the one who requested us."

He witnessed a bird-like being whose posture gave off a cocky impression. Showcasing a wide grin, this creature effortlessly wielded a massive mallet of mostly wooden composition. Red and white royal finery wrapped around like a robe gave some insight into his apparent obesity. Beneath the robe sat beige attire secured by a wide red and yellow zigzag patterned belt. Yellow mittens covered his hands. A hat containing an emblem of sorts on the front laid upon his head with a puff of fur resting on the top. Only by the skin along his face could you tell he was mostly blue.

Glancing other to Gardevoir, Greninja noticed the same facial expression that her and Lucario gave each other. Though if it was anything like their relationship, then the client should be somewhat tolerable.

"This assignment will take thee to a new planet, another Earth-like world. The world is inhabited by intelligent, bipedal animals as well as humans. One human in particular is not only a well renowned mayor, but a newly made Smasher. The client had informed me that he would be present during thy mission. Thou shalt be acting alongside another hired gun he requested as his bodyguards. I'll hast to go into further details upon the mission site; he wanted me to make a swift choice."

"Greninja bowed for his chance at redemption, "Understood, I won't fail you."

"Pardon me, "Both pokemon turned to Ruto who seemed just as anxious to return to the field as Greninja himself. "I could imagine you're sending him elsewhere. Mind I provide aid? I assure you, my personal dilemma will not interfere."

Gardevoir smiled, " _I hast something else for thee in fact. Thou shalt accompany me for another matter._ "

"Glad I could be of use."

"Now we must make thy transition swift ninja, "With the extension of her hand, a vortex exploded into existence. Electricity crackled around darkened golden energy swirling into the dark void. A calming hole with the slightest suction succeeded in not disrupting the work of others. "It seems he was in a hurry. This shalt take thee very close to his position."

Greninja gave one nod before allowing himself to be swallowed by the vortex. He gave witness to colossal metallic rings rotating around him as he passed through them. The suction was non-existent. He immediately fell into a high speed free fall. Earthly structures in various conditions hovered amongst the void beyond the rings. Chunks of earthly elements seemingly shedded off slowly drifted back to their main structure. Flora thrived upon these floating islands deep within this abstract reality where neither rain nor sun could reach. Stories traveled through the medical bay during his recovery. Varasla Realm was it's official name. A reality that operated to few constants: gravity wasn't guaranteed, rumors held one's age halted within the void, and it made the impossible possible. It was said the creator of this realm, Master Hand, may be the reason for its unique properties.

The end was nearing; a glimmering of light shined off in the distance. Near the portal's end, his momentum slowed to a crawl. His back calmly fell upon the lush green fields of his desired world. With the vortex's collapse, he took in the fresh scent of well kept grass swirling around a buzzing city of simple design beneath a darkened sky. Though not as advanced tech wise as Kalos, there was a captivating peacefulness when observing the already mentioned animal-like people chatting about near lit coffee shops and those of the like; he was at ease. It wasn't long until rapid footsteps grew in volume.

"SIR, "A panicked voice prompted his upper body to shoot upward, glancing over to the voice's direction to catch a dog-like person dashing over for him. She tried to utter a word, but she tripped upon something which sent her crashing down. She rose back up with no hesitation, even before Greninja could react. Her radiant smile warmed his heart more than the streetlight above them. "Oh thank goodness you're ok. Darn vortices are so rough on the body, you know."

Her fur took a lighter shade of yellow. White patches of fur rested around her mouth, and upon the tip of her shortish tail. Large puffs of hair, which took a darker shade of yellow, went down along her head's side. Some of her hair was tied into a very short bun along the very top by a red ribbon with a bell attached on the front. Beneath her checkered green vest laid a white shirt with a red ribbon around the neck. She also sported a navy blue skirt. She ran her hand across his face, staring in awe.

"I know we just met, but…..are you , "As the pokemon nodded, the dog happily jumped in place. "Oh joy, perfect timing on your part. A guest of ours wanted me to keep a lookout. I believe he was discussing business with another guard he hired. Anyway, my name's Isabelle. It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance."

She latched onto his arm, aiding with his ascent. A look around revealed that he had landed within a lengthy park surrounded by almost barren roads. Different bipedal species sat along benches, held street performances, and gathered around the large fountain behind him. Isabelle pulled Greninja through the light crowd. Conversation amongst those he passed were all spoken in the english language. Isabelle, along with most other citizens he walked passed, weren't that tall. A minor detail easily excused when almost all who made eye contact with Greninja greeted him via wave.

" _Now in regards to thy mission,_ "Gardevoir's voice echoed within his mind nearly had him take up his battle stance. Though he maintained his composure, Isabelle was quick to notice the sudden change. He reassured her with a nod before continuing to listen. " _The mayor will occasionally host a tour of all major planets by a…...i'll be frank and say a magical train. It operates using crystals that permit the conjuring of vortices and rails. People pay in advance to be transported here, and it must do well to maintain its business. Usually the mayor assigns one of his own bodyguards to protect the train from thieves, but the client informed me that they all had to forsaken their role for unknown reasons. This led to the mayor preparing to cancel the trip, much to the disappointment of his guests. Our client wouldn't allow this, and here thou are now. Just so thou art aware, his name is Dedede. Being that he is a king, thou may refer to him as sire, highness, or plain Dedede; I care not for what thou choose. He'll provide the details upon thy meeting with him. I bid thee the best of luck._ "

A large concentration of people was exactly what lay before him off near what seemed like a waiting area. Red roofing extended quite a bit to cover its plentiful number of normal looking humans beneath bright metallic lamps. Beyond the area was nothing more than a expansive field of flora with mountains stretching high for the few stationary clouds. Finally, after being greeted by a few of the planet's inhabitants who also was interested in the worlds beyond, three beings moved him more than any other. The king himself stood within a swarm of people who seemed quite pleased with him. Beside him stood a large snail with arms similar to a human, and a metallic being whose bright, yellow visor gave off an ominous feeling.

A heavily armored warrior with arms crossed behind him stood behind the king. Armor coloration was reminiscent of crocodile skin. An ovalish visor, which radiated a brilliant yellow, composed most of his head. A blood red pony-tail protruded from the helmet's backend. Bulky armor made up his upper body. While his right shoulder possessed a spike protruding outward, his left shoulder was more spherical. Devices were installed within his armored arms. A belt clung to his waist, carrying a grayish pistol and several others weapons. He not only possessed normal human hands, but had feet reminiscent of boots.

The being's helmet made a sharp turn for his direction. Isabelle wasn't moved by its sudden reaction, but Greninja's heart tried to leap out. Though it was highly evident that it was the second bodyguard, did Dedede truly put trust in such dangerous looking guns for hire? A few seconds passed with the two apparently eyeing each other before it tapped the king upon the shoulder. It seemed as if they exchanged a word or two prompting Dedede to notice him. Giving the snail and the bodyguard a hand gesture, the king made his way toward Greninja with mallet in hand. Isabelle smiled to Dedede with the same level of cheerfulness as before, saluting before him.

"Great news sire, your bodyguard has arrived right on time. , at your service!"

"Greninja, WAIT…..ya mean he some type of ninja. How do I order me someone for guard duty, and they be sendin me someone for assassinations, "Dedede wasted no time in getting up close and personal with him. Greninja's eyes jumped to the size difference between them. The hologram failed to do his weight justice. "What, is that little rabbit too busy dancin and prancin around fields of grass to serve a king?"

"Busy schedule I presume. Why don't you two get to know each other. I'll check the status of the cargo and fill you in."

"Yea, you do that missy."

The soft gaze of that sweet dog quickly left for the inner waiting area, leaving him under the judgemental eyes of all three of these newcomers. The king grasped his weapon with both hands, bumping it into Greninja's belly.

"I ain't never seen ya before. Thought I seen every one of ya do gooders. Were they holdin' out on me?"

The snail intervened, "Excuse me sire, but I think he's new to all of this."

"He what?!"

"Well the USN did show some scrawny looking frog joining the fray, so I read up on him. It was some pokemon named Greninja from Kalos. You remember that region right? We went there when you wanted a rematch against that meddlesome mouse. I wouldn't get too excited though, he's just a mere starter for the little squirts."

"Ooooh, so they goin' cheap now! Sending me some recruit like it ain't all that serious!"

"You telling me. Only has one official match under that ridiculous scarf of his. He's as fresh out the oven as they come!"

"I have half a mind to whack ya outta this city. Ya ain't gonna have training day on my watch!"

The snail turned for the metallic soldier, "What do you think about this?"

Its visor scanned up and down Greninja's body, shaking his head soon afterward, "Don't waste energy worrying. He'll be just fine."

With the fierceness of a bull, Dedede waddled as quickly as possible for the metal soldier, "Now hold on a sec! What happened to makin' sure the job was done right?!"

"Sire, i'm not one to be lenient with the incompetent. This Greninja hasn't even been out on the field long enough for me to make that call. What he needs is experience, so of course they'd send him to be a king's guard. Besides, we both know Gardevoir is a picky one. She only accepts those of outstanding performance, not some basic creature out in the wild. Yes, he only has a single match on his record, but he bested Ganondorf of all people during the qualifier. I don't need to remind you of his prowess. To become both a Chaser and a Smasher in such a short manner of time is no common feat."

"ALRIGHT ALRIGHT, but ya pullin' any weight he can't carry, capeesh?!"

"You'll get your money's worth, I assure you. Plus you can't get upset over who they chose considering you gave them no incentive."

"They wanna go walkin around like they some charity, then I'll happily use their services, "Dedede directed his fierce gaze toward Greninja, pointing at him. "TOAD! I EXPECT ONE HUNDRED AND TEN PERCENT TODAY, YA HEAR? Ya representing a king now! Don't make people think I got horrible taste in guards. IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?!"

Wide eyed at the booming personality of this obese bird, Greninja saluted to the king while nodding his head. A trembling will kept his remaining hand from planting into the king's cheekbone. Despite how out of place his mercenary seemed, it appeared he had no love for the king either. He started to wonder how long he could tolerate their stares. The armored being noticed his internal struggle, laying a hand upon Dedede's shoulder.

"Sire, I'm picking up void energy. It seems a rift is about to open. Might be the mayor."

"Hope this goes better than last time!"

The king gave a profound sigh as he took heavy steps toward the masses, most likely fooled by an artificial kindness to promote himself. This was evident by the smiles the guest gave upon his return. He ceased casting his heated sights upon the bird when their guard stood before him.

"I suppose you deserve names now. You may call me Weavel. The little snail servant following Dedede around, that's Escargoon. Don't be fooled by their exaggeration. Many would tell you that they're like that all the time. Hmph, not like I care. I can easily protect him from a distance. Anyway, you're probably wondering what dangers are present during a train ride? Well, expect to see a raid or two. We're up against robbers who have gotten pretty creative with the crystals that allow void travel. Do the countries Valm, Plegia, and Ylisse ring any bells? Those names are usually what you'll hear when regarding a certain planet. It's just another earth-like world, officially called PE and some number."

Ylisse? Greninja recalled that very name coming from Lucario after the Hylia incident. Would fate have him investigate the planet if it truly is responsible for the apparent raids. With a nod, Greninja assured Weavel of his knowledge. With a quick nod toward the stationary, Weavel, followed by Greninja, went to rejoin with their clients.

"So you atleast heard of them. It's sad to say, but those are where our problems come from. Bandits and other similar folk use vortices to come over here. Using horses and dragons that are native there, they attempt to board the train. I'm sure I don't need to go into further details about what a robber does, do I rookie?"

Weavel was powerless to stop his laughter upon witnessing the critical gaze of his pokemon guest, "It be wise to laugh while you can. After all, the stressful part of the job hasn't even begun."

Aggression would indeed not aid either one of them, that much they agreed on. Everything that was said to him was painfully right: one match, a mere rookie, one who was ignorant to most things beyond his own world. A part of him wanted to subject the king to the same manner of speech he used upon him. Weavel's words gave him reason to stay true to being a perfect guard. He needn't remain so close to Dedede, but just be aware of subtle changes. Plentiful folks presented hopeful smiles and short compliments to Weavel who simply returned their favor with a quick nod. Greninja's anxious eyes sometimes caught the same greeting Weavel constantly provided to others.

An explosion sent many guests into a state of panic. Rails that radiated with an odd energy appeared along the flora beyond the waiting station. Gazing further down the newly made tracks, a vortex had grown from within the dirt. Rushing through unknown space into the eyes of the guests, the train in question made its debut. Transportation of simplistic design, the train's front was surprisingly small. With the abundance of carts flowing out, Weavel leaned against a pillar with visor directed at Dedede.

"Going with the usual no warning shots again?"

"When ya start askin me that again? Ya know full well what I expect!"

"Heh, understood…..sire."

Glancing over to Greninja, Weavel witnessed a pokemon's widened eyes fixated on Dedede, "Heh heh heh, that was the exact look I was looking for. I took notice, you know. Just that innocent look of yours told me a lot."

The hunter rose straight up, swiftly pulling out his pistol. Greninja recoiled from the mere sight, but relaxed when it wasn't aimed at him. Weavel proceeded to walk past Greninja with the gun pointed for the ceiling.

"None of them have stainless hearts, the Chasers. Now that I think about it, you most likely already knew that. I'm sure you wouldn't even be here if you felt that strongly about it,"Soundous steam rising from the distance grabbed Weavel's attention. Plentiful karts stretched for at least a mile and some. Greninja only then realized that more guest had shown up, somewhat excusing the length. "It's about time. I'm sure Dedede will want us to come with. Let's not keep the king waiting."

Scanning through the crowd while being guided by native, animal-like attendants, Greninja merely walked to the bird who was leaning against one of the pillars beside his assistant. Dedede's arrogance grew with each passing passenger that gifted him with wave gestures as thanks. Just with a simply glance, the king proceeded for one of the karts with an open body-a rather lengthy body shielding passengers with a wooden roof of red coloration. Open windows overlooked smooth, wooden seats with enough room for two were strapped with soft coverings. Rectangular, black tables of metallic composition lay between two seats facing one another. Some karts took on a modern, encased design as well. Greninja seated himself alongside Weavel with Dedede and Escargoon remaining on the opposite end.

When the passengers bid their last farewells to the native folk, the train's engine roared to life. Though mentally steady, an uneasy feeling, similar to what came during his first time onboard the Federation cruiser, crept along his neck. The train proceeded to move along at a slow rate, gradually picking up the speed. A thunderous thump almost sent Greninja out of his seat . Dedede glared at him with his hand firmly pressed upon the table.

"Listen up rook, there be some mighty fine cargo ridin with us. Make sure you're checkin' them regularly!"

Weavel spoke up, "Sounds to me like you got something valuable onboard. Who you plan on trading with this time if I may ask?"

"Oh some fella named Gadd or somethin. Got me some real nice valuables from the outer realm."

"Varasla realm you mean? You mean there is actually minerals you can mine there?"

"What, ya didn't know. Figured you lootin lot would've already known."

"We've seen a blank void every single time."

"Hahahaha, well a whole lot of vortices do send ya along blank spaces. The one I got ain't linked to other planets, but whole islands floating next to one another, "Dedede leaned slightly forward, gazing upon other guests before proceeding. "And I seen some things. Every now and then I had to deal with a few Metalloids see."

"Hmmm, not often you hear about those things. Those islands might be some kind of storage unit for them."

"Nah, more like guards then anything. They weren't the only ones either; those wired slackers were givin' me a run for my money too. Some of theses islands had buildings ya see."

"Empty replicas I could imagine."

A sharp grin formed upon the king's face. His gaze drifted for Escargoon who slid his hand beneath his shell. He pulled out a crystal which possessed a brilliance equal to that of a violet star. It levitated over the snail's hand, emitting a chill that affected every onlooker onboard. Escargoon cleared his throat.

"That's where the cargo comes in. This is what wants. Those structures sire was talking about look like nothing we've ever seen. They each held one crystal-but not like the master crystals that can send you anywhere we know of. These things have one connection to an unexplored world…..teeming with intelligent life."

Weavel slammed his palms into the table, "WHAT!"

Escargoon immediately placed his free hand over his lips, "SHHHH! Honestly, call the news reporters while you're at it. Try keeping this on the DL will ya!"

Weavel recoiled, readjusting his tone, "How can you know for sure?!"

"Simple, one of those Hand fellas created it, or so we think. We both came to a conclusion that it was Crazy Hand who made this one, hence the dark energy. Those troublemakers always toy with inhabited planets, more specifically those with civilizations."

Greninja froze to the mere mention of Crazy Hand. An entity that had been somehow haunting him within the dream world. Drowning out explosions with uncontrollable laughter, Crazy Hand tormented him with visions of Kalos, plunged into ruin by rampaging infernos. It would laugh to it all, repeating several times even upon awaking. Weavel's voice broke Greninja from his trance.

"Well I wouldn't know. Not too often I hear any division talking about those two. So, I reckon you already attempted to see the other side."

Dedede snatched the crystal, "What's it to ya?!"

"I'm just concerned is all. I mean…..you are dealing with dangers beyond your knowledge."

"And just in case we do meet these mysterious things, we'll lock em up nice and tight."

"Or bat them away with your mallet."

"You know it."

"Hmmm, this is news I'm definitely going need to report. Tell you what, sire, I might be willing to lower my price tag if you'd be more generous."

"Depends on what ya asking?"

"Any connections you haven't made yet perhaps?"

"Well…..Escargoon did find us an island with some fancy gadgets. Though the Metalloids were packin on that one. Took me and Meta Knight just to hold them off long enough for Escargoon to do what he needed to do, "Dedede turned to the snail. "By the way, ya never did tell me what ya found."

Escargoon took time to ponder the question, "There were a whole lot of computers in the main structure. Guess the Hands don't believe in passwords; I was able to easily gain access to them. At first, it was just a bunch of garbage on the other Smash fighters. That's when I found a message that wasn't complete yet, titled the Flash Project."

"Flash? Do any of the Superior Four know about this?"

"Not yet, but they will. I haven't even gotten to the juicy part. The reason for the Metalloid infestation was actually because they were busy sending their own to worlds associated with Flash, and they ain't planets we're familiar with. Also, it seems that they made some progress before we got there. They searched about eight universes, only a few got the 'interested' title. That crystal….that thing was their next assignment. Crazy Hand left behind orders for him to be contacted before entry; this thing's priority was why we took it. There is something dangerous on the other side, hence why Crazy wants to be present. Had we not taken the crystal, we might've already been burdened with another life threatening entity."

Besides Greninja, the others gave dreadful stares to the crystal. To silence even Dedede was a dead giveaway to the severity of the situation. A recalling of the war, Universal Peril, ran through Greninja's mind. A struggle that brought many worlds to ruin, and would've consumed every last one had it not been for the Superior Four rising against the Hands. Is that what they feared? Such a thought subjected him through a good portion of the darkness that consumed them.

"We need to secure the others," Weavel rose with inhuman speed, almost sending Greninja off the edge of his seat. "They must be monitored for the time being! Escargoon, would you know which cart contains them?!"

"Of course. It was custom made for the sire. What are you plotting metal man?"

"I'm gonna leave a device in there; it's connected to my visor. It'll scan the void energy and transmit the data to me. That way I'll know if they're unstable, or about to become unstable."

"Well, I suppose that's alright, "Escargoon slid off the seat, glancing over to Dedede. "And this can also pick up on noosy people trying to snatch some of our goods?"

"Not only will that, but I'll leave in a few nasty surprises. Small drones made by yours truly. If they try and leave the scene by a vortex, it'll attach itself to the troublemaker. I'll be able to track them from there."

"Better hope you don't let it get that far. Don't wanna have you going after some crooks on different planets now, "Escargoon turned to Dedede. "You coming sire?"

Greninja turned to Dedede for his response, disturbed by the king's displeased gaze resting upon him. The look Dedede gave to Weavel afterwards was lighter for obvious reason, but the narrowed eyes gave the feeling that thoughts were brewing within. "Yea, I'll come. I have something to discuss with Weavel anyway. I'll lead the way."

Immediately upon sliding out from the seat, Greninja found himself suspended into the air. He found himself merely inches away from the antagonistic face of Dedede who was holding him with only one hand.

"AND WHERE YA THINK YA GOIN OFF TO? YA AIN'T COMIN ALONG. DON'T HAVE THE SLIGHTEST CLUE WHAT'S GOIN' ON, YA ROOK!"

Uncharacteristically, Weavel completely agreed with the king, "Void energy cannot be trusted with anybody. It can feed off of anything, including emotions. No need for us to force you into something…..beyond just foreign. Just…..remain here for the time being. Raids don't usually take place soon as the train leaves port."

"Yea, "Dedede dropped the poor frog. "Why don't ya get some quick shut eye! Got a long day ahead of ya."

Greninja's morale sank to their slowly retreating backs. The plentiful eyes that sat upon them ceased to care when only himself remained. Demoralized, he returned to the cold seats. His attention laid upon nature's scenery he swiftly passed by. Night prowling fauna scurrying across the plain were provided guidance by the moon's bright cast. A peaceful land reminiscent of his home needed to be protected. The image of the chaos wrought by Crazy Hand was forever imprinted into his mind. He never met either of the Hands, yet his dreams had them attack him in some way. Those two must had been the Chaser's enemies as well. In fact, were they the ones manipulating the space pirates, King Rool, and others who allied with them? If so, missions like these were necessary. Knowledge of all worlds were needed to figure out one's allies and enemies.

It was a quiet ride for the most part, though no one bothered to check up on him. Rumors and tales of veteran Smashers sweeped across the cart like the wind. Talk of Greninja's integration was the talk of his region, even the world where he confronted that boxer recognized him. Some of the fighters, although human judging by the descriptions, seemed to possess inhuman qualities. Greninja held no quarrels toward most of the human species, but their somewhat fragile physique made them vulnerable to a handful of infant pokemon. One couple mentioned one of the Superior Four, Pikachu. Though he knew Pikachu was a force to be reckoned with. To had heard that many considered that particular Pikachu to be the strongest of his entire evolution chain made their eventual dueling a dreadful thought, especially with the type disadvantage.

Greninja eventually drifted off into unconsciousness, joining the rest who too fell silent. A somewhat forceful knock on the head brung him back. Wide eyes fell upon Weavel who stood before him.

"Better not sleep for too long. Wouldn't want to bring the wrath of the king, right, "A human whose size was reminiscent of the locals came beside Weavel with a metallic tray of steaming salmon. Screaming of youthfulness, this boy unwavering smile was equal to that of Isabelle. "Allow me to introduce him. This here is the renowned mayor you may have heard about. His real name is Tim, but most people call him the villager for some odd reason. Recently, he was invited to become a Smasher much like yourself."

"Pleasure to meet you, "The villager said with the joyous tone of a naive child. He carefully placed the tray upon the table, pushing it slightly closer to Greninja. Greninja bowed to the boy where Tim mimicked the frog. "I asked him to show me to you. I wanted to thank you personally for taking time out of your day to serve us."

"He is a member of the Chasers you know."

"Oh I know. Isabelle told me all about him. He's from the Kalos region she said. Never got a chance to visit that region, so I made sure to have that as one of our stops."

"Curious as ever. Can you spare us a moment? I wish to discuss important matters with him."

"Sure thing."

Tim proceeded to the rest of the guests, checking on their well-being. Weavel turned back to Greninja who was already gulping down the salmon whole.

"Sorry about earlier, but it cannot be stressed enough how dangerous unstable crystals can be. If one was to suddenly open, a vortex with the suction strength similar to one of the Superiors would come about. Unlike unstable crystals, normal ones won't draw in water or others of similar sort. There was once an incident where an unstable vortex flooded a whole building. Incidents like that could prove fatal on a fast moving train. Thankfully, none of them seem unstable as of now. Let's hope they stay that way."

Weavel leaned over the table, analyzing the sky. A light veil of orange light pushed back the darkness. The mercenary tapped the side of his head; text of an unknown language slid in and out of the visor.

"The sun is finally rising. It's about that time we start surveying. I can't say when the bandits will strike, but they usually stay out of our hair the entire time after one failed attempt. Dedede is three carts ahead in case you're wondering, "Weavel stared upon Greninja' tongue scooping up the last fish. Weavel silently chuckled to himself to seeing a more joyful side of Greninja. "I'll give you five more minutes to yourself. Afterward, I want you to check the carts behind us. I'll handle the front for now."

Weavel left the frog once more, twirling his pistol around. Tim stopped the mercenary for unknown reasons; they were too far to eavesdrop on. Greninja just stared to witness their interactions. After nodding in approval, Weavel patted Tim on the head before departing. It wouldn't be long until oddities started appearing. Glancing through his window, he almost found himself conjuring water shurikens to the sight of a metallic spider slightly bigger than a human hand crawling in. It felt his gaze, and so it ceased its movements. It wouldn't dare move another inch, or else Greninja would strike it down without hesitation. The longer Greninja was staring at it, the more it reminded him of another device.

Staring with blank red eyes, the spider's darkened gray upper body was smooth like actual skin. Its sac on the other hand closely resembled Dreadzone if it was scaled down. On the top, the Smash logo was imprinted onto the sac. Greninja lowered his tension to see what would happen. It proceeded to walk for the ceiling away from him. Foolishly, Greninja dismissed the insect and tried to find the villager who seemed to be absent. The insect made a sharp turn back toward him, leaping for the ignorant frog. It latched itself upon his chest. Reflexes made him immediately try to strike it off of him, but not before a vortex exploded from the spider, consuming Greninja whole. His screams echoed through the blank, violet void as he was falling at breakneck speeds. The end came sooner than he thought. Upon nearing the light, his descent slowed. After landing face first onto what felt like wood, the vortex closed. Shocked beyond belief, it took him time to register his surroundings.

He was still on the train, but now he was on the roof of an open window, lengthy cart. Weavel, alongside another small individual, approached him. Greninja's fist clenched to the idea that he knew this would happen, if not the cause. Off in the distance, Dedede and Escargoon were closing in as well. Greninja rushed to his feet with ill intent in mind. A water katana formed in one hand, forcing Weavel to speak up.

"Now I know you're mad, but you must un…., "Dedede forced Weavel out the way, stomping for the tensed frog. "Huh?"

"I'LL HANDLE THIS, "There wasn't an inch of fear within Dedede's heart. Despite now being in front of an angered animal. Dedede stood tall with his mallet over his shoulder. "Good, ya lookin' mighty angry. Ya about to have a little fight ya see."

Obviously, this cast confusion onto Greninja. Slowly, Greninja came out of his battle stance, tilting his head awkwardly. Dedede thrusted his fist into Greninja's chest.

"LISTEN WELL! Now these people know I don't play when it comes to guarding the goods. Every time the mayor's lackeys couldn't do the job, I always hired me some muscle. These folks could lay on their fine cushions knowing they ain't gonna lose nothing to no one. Take good ole Weavel for example. Ya can just look at him and know he'll bring down the hammer if needed. Ya look like the complete opposite, and if I can see it, others are seeing it too. It's ok though, your wonderful king here will give ya and the other guests confidence."

Dedede snapped his fingers behind himself. His unspoken command weighed down the short individual whose expression spoke of annoyance. A olive skinned boy whose appearance was apparently ripped straight out of a cartoon. Upon closer inspection, Greninja's eyes shot open upon making the connection; this boy looked just like the Superior, Link. The difference being the absence of a green cap and tunic. His blond hair was well kept and free from headwear. A black shirt and leggings covered the rest of his body. Four white buttons rested along his chest. A smaller version of the sword Link carried laid upon his back within a sheath. A shield identical to the one Link carried laid in his hands. The longer Greninja kept his sights on him, the deeper he fell into confusion.

"HE'LL BE YOUR OPPONENT, "Dedede's thunderous tone failed to grasp Greninja's attention, having to slap the top of his head. Not wishing to warrant the wrath of his client, Greninja forced his confusion aside. "Consider this a chance to earn your right to be around a king. There ain't gonna be no nice try award. If ya can't even beat someone who hasn't fought in quite some time, then ya need to go on and hop your scrawny self off this train! I ain't gonna have no scrub make Weavel's job difficult. To add a little motivation, since I'm so kind, I'm having it broadcasted live. Thought that everybody onboard and on your little island back on your home planet should see how ya doin'."

These words weren't directed toward the youngling, yet his overly exaggerated tone had Greninja's soon to be opponent usher a gaze that could melt the arctic. A flurry of emotions threatened to break down Greninja's kind nature, but the few Dreadzones floating around them stayed his hand. All but one opened up to reveal a camera of sorts capturing the scene. As a representative of Kalos, he couldn't bring himself to even suggest harming the one he chose to protect. Greninja submitted to the king's demands, forcefully nodding to him.

"Quite the confident nod ya had goin on. I respect your willingness to tackle hardships head on. Now let's see how far it takes ya. Weavel, "The sire hollered to the mercenary who was eyeing the Dreadzone unit that had recently appeared from the void. "Come join me on the other cart. Ya can sit between me and Escargoon."

"As you wish sire, but what of introductions?"

"Psssssh, ya wanna waste time tellin' the frog why that boy looks like Link, his situation? Ya saw the dumb look on his face when the boy came up, like a deer in headlights."

"Hmmm, fair point."

"I know it is! Look, ya can dump all kinds of sciency mumbo jumbo and facts on him once the match is over with, and that's if he wins!"

The mercenary sighed, "As you wish sire. Now what about the rules?"

"I was about to get on it. For the sake of time, I'll only ask for a one stock brawl. Since it wouldn't be all that enjoyable for ya to rush, there will be no time limit."

"Only one stock sire? You positive that'll be enough to entertain you?"

"I ain't lookin for just entertainment. I'm treating it like an interview in a sense. This kid may be rusty, but he ain't a slacker. To beat him would mean something, ya know."

"I suppose."

"Alright then. Give the folks back home a good show."

The boy shrugged, the same kind of shrug seen when you told someone over and over again how wrong they were and still chose to ignore the message. What deeds has the king done to gain enough respect for people to listen while at the same time had him receive indirect disrespect. Apparently this kid really knew Dedede, unlike the guests who merely saw him for his dedication to their safety.

"Soooo, "The calm, high pitch voice of his opponent had the effect of a ghastly appearing beside your bed upon awakening. So many similar characteristics to Link had fooled his mind into believing he stood before that Superior, despite the massive size difference. Greninja imagined another mute knight whose skill spoke more words than his mouth could ever express. During the time he spent with Link, his facial expressions were more animated than anyone else he had ever encountered. The same could be said for this kid who's somehow more animated body made whatever emotion he chose to wear simple to spot. "You're the one who defeated Ganon, huh?"

Before Greninja could even finish the nod, a blinding smile formed on the stranger, "I hope you don't mind if I get a bit serious."

When the boy's free hand reached for the mountains, a brilliant glow shined through his shirt. An violet essence of otherworldly origins phased into existence, swirling around the combatant. The sword was drawn, once again facing down a worthy foe. Glaring light radiated from its steel, fading just as quickly as it glowed. He copied many elements of Link perfectly: the narrowed glare, the position of his shield, even the overall stance mirrored the Superior. Was this perhaps the little brother of said champion. Dreadzone hovered between the two fighters, prompting them to take a few steps back. Soon after its opening, the field consumed the entire cart. Greninja's wild eyes turned for the cart's side, running over to look beneath the roof. Not a single guest sat beneath them.

"YA THINK WE FORGET THE SPECTATORS. COME ON NOW, "Dedede's impatience was clear as day. Going about waving his hammer wildly like Greninja had stepped on private property. "Of Course we had them move to a different kart. All you need to do is focus on the match."

With the passenger's safety dealt with, Greninja went back into his battle stance. A single gunshot from Weavel's pistol signaled for their fight to commence. Greninja was first to approach, dashing with two water katanas in hand. The frog went for a swift swipe. The boy parried with his sword, nearly sending Greninja's katana flying. Bewildered by the strength of his enemy, Greninja barely avoided his retaliation. The child rushed him with quick slashes of his own. Greninja managed to block all of his attacks, but kept getting pushed back by the impressive force. A reckless attack revealed itself, allowing Greninja to swiftly land a swift slash across the boy's cheek. Despite this, the boy didn't even flinch. The opponent smashed his shield against Greninja's face. Quickly recovering from the strike, Greninja caught a glance of his enemy's sword coming down. He blocked with both swords, forcing the boy back ever so slightly.

Greninja saw how close to edge he was. That strike against the boy put him at six percent. Speed would once again be his ally here. Once the struggle took them back to the middle, the two fighters disengaged. They circled around each other, eyeing each other's movements. In a blink of an eye, the boy withdrew both his shield and sword. Confusion kept Greninja grounded in place. Violet energy swarmed around his enemy's hand, forming a mostly wooden bow with an arrow already loaded. The boy swiftly drew back, firing it for the frog's head. Panicking, Greninja threw one of his swords in the way. Though the arrow was blocked, the force sent the katana flying from his grip. He watched the katana get swallowed by Dreadzone. He turned back to see violet energy forming another arrow.

Greninja felt the arrow soar passed his cheek as he dodged to the left, but his enemy had already conjured a fresh one. One after another, arrows were sent Greninja's way as he barely avoided them. When the boy started to draw back again, Greninja dodged ahead of time. Though that was exactly what the child was hoping for. He took aim ahead of Greninja, managing a direct shot on his head. Hastily dislodging the arrow, Greninja neglected to avoid the next one honing in on his chest. The strike sent Greninja crashing down, gazing upon the twelve percent image that popped from his chest.

"WAIT, "An artificial voice filled with desperation froze the combatants. Weavel stood from his seat, gaining the disapproval of Dedede whom nearly whacked him with his mallet.

"WHAT YA GOIN ON ABOUT? Match just started and here ya already complainin!"

"It's the crystals sire!"

No more needed to be said. The displeasure that grew within Escargoon and Dedede dissipated. With ghastly faces, they both eyed one another. The boy only seemed slightly confused since he held no knowledge of the crystals, but Greninja remained petrified by the news.

"Al…..already, "Dedede said in a tone devoid of arrogance. "Do…..don't tell me they…."

"No, none of them are unstable. I just picked up a vortex appearing in the room."

"So those bandits finally figured out how to….."

"Bandits? Well there are two humans sire, but there is one more being I can't identify. All the data is coming back unknown."

"NEVER MIND THAT, "Dedede's exploded in a fit of rage, waving his mallet toward Escargoon. "WE GOIN TO DEAL WITH THIS RIGHT NOW!"

"Of course sire, deactivating Dreadzone now!"

With a few swift inputs into Weavel's wrist, the field surrounding the fighters shifted into a dark violet, clouded enough to obscure those beyond the walls into unidentifiable blobs. Electrical currents swarmed along the outer bounds, a new sight Greninja eyed with uncertain curiosity.

"Hmmm, "Weavel kept mashing inputs with increased force, failing to make the field dissipate. "We may have a problem."

"Oh what's wrong now, "Dedede shouted, pointing at the still active Dreadzone. "Why is it still up?"

"The Dreadzone unit is…...rejecting me!"

"Rejecting? Now you speakin nonsense. They show up just by thinkin about em, and turn off just by thinkin about em. Ya mean to tell me it ain't listening, even when you're messin with it manually?"

"I'M TELLING YOU THE TRUTH!"

"JUST START WHACKIN IT WITH A WENCH, "A soundous, energetic voice made Dedede and Escargoon's faces turned pale. Such a high pitch voice was frighteningly joyful, emitting from the cloudy walls of Dreadzone. As Greninja came to his feet, the unknown entity let out a chuckle. "What's flappening your kinglyness?"

"YOU, "Weavel forced through his mask, quickly grasping onto his pistol. "Must be pretty ashamed to know your defenses couldn't protect your precious crystals."

"Nah, those metalloids were for entertainment purposes for when the king eventually waddled into my domains. Though I sent one little harpy to pirate one crystal in particular that french dish over there robbed from me."

"You sent three, monster!"

"Shiver me timbers, a space pirate called me a monster!"

"WHAT, "Greninja cried out in his usual animal language. Like a Deerling in headlights, he just stared at the mercenary in complete stillness. Any kindness Weavel may had shown became mute in wake of his affiliation. Greninja's stomach tightened to the thought of being so close to his enemy. Knowing Greninja was a member of the Chasers, Weavel would've had an absurd number of chances to assassinate him in his sleep. Dedede surely knew about the threat the pirates posed to the Chasers, yet neglected to mention this fact.

"Oooooooooo, who is this ninja-lookin toad? Seemed like he didn't like the fact you were a space pirate, "The joyful voice said with no concern for the feud this would undoubtedly develop, almost as if it enjoyed the possibility.

"Is that what it yelped for? Here I thought Dedede told him who I was. What a goddamn bother this will be, "Weavel spat out, seemingly unchanged by the reveal. "Hi, my name is Weavel, mercenary for the space pirates. I specialize in assassinations, aided the pirates with the takeover of multiple planets, and even tried to silence your good pals over with the Federation multiple times in the past. Nice to meet your acquaintance. Now you're all caught up!"

"HOLD UP MATEY! HE A CHASER TOO?"

"None of your business. I'm now fairly certain that this mystery individual is just another metalloid. Just watch and be prepared to lose another abomination!"

"Usually, I would've done that without even being told, like a good boy. However, there are two things in that statement I can't do as of now. Besides, don't you know what time it is? IT'S INTRODUCTION TIME!"

"Introdu…..MOVE GRENINJA!"

Weavel's sudden outburst made Greninja take a step backwards, for some reason making him crash unto his back. Something made him lose footing, so Greninja looked upon his feet to a sight that took his breath away. The lower half of his legs were transparent, barely visible. His flesh slipped from his body in dark blue embers, climbing up his leg at a faster rate. No matter how many times Greninja tried to uses hydro pump, it didn't slow down his deterioration. The boy came running for Greninja, but sparked the interest of whoever spoke through the walls.

"Sorry looney toons, not feeling up for babysitting. Why don't you wait outside!"

All Greninja saw next was the boy being vaporized by an invisible force. Ash taking up the color of his attire disappeared into the inner walls of Dreadzone. Greninja couldn't even summon the effort to resist, baffled by the dream-like scenario that robbed him of control in an instant. Though there was no mistaken, this wasn't the first time he heard this voice. A voice that gotten so much joy from other's suffering, especially his own. The voice that haunted him many times before in his dreams. This must had been the doing of the Hands. The inner walls of Dreadzone became so distorted by negative energy, it was no longer possible to see beyond them. It was then when the voice spoke once more.

"Oh how boring, you already given up mentally. Well it's not like I was gunning for you anyway. Don't worry froggy, I'm not gonna kill you...yet! Just gonna have chit chat with ya is all. Now I was thinkin' the whole melting thing would've been funny to watch, but you're not even tryin' anymore."

A loud snap caused the area to make a swift transition to solid rock. Like a swap from one picture to the next, his environment instantly became that of a forsaken wasteland. The Varasla realm laid before him. Upon an empty island made entirely of stone, Greninja gazed worriedly to the crimson atmosphere that held many other structures floating adrift. As his thoughts began to wander, a voice had him hastily turn around. Nothing was there, or even in his general area. It sounded so close, yet was everywhere. He had another thought of Weavel's mannerisms. With each word he made Weavel say, they echoed all around him with the same clarity as if he was present.

Greninja cautiously walked to the very edge of the island, more islands hovered in what seemed like a bottomless abyss. Greninja scurried away, frightened by a sudden slight pull upon his chest.

"How do ya like the view, "A familiar voice said far off behind Greninja. Upon glancing behind himself, his heart sank to a familiar oddity. A white glove rested lazily upon a stone throne that wasn't present before within the island's center. Fingers pressed against the ground with its thumb resting upon its palm. The hand took the spitting image of what Greninja saw in his dreams. "You're a Greninja alright. So…...how's life as a Chaser and representative for your peeps? SMASHING, isn't it?"

Without hesitation, Greninja took up his battle stance, conjuring two water katanas. The boiling hatred brewing in his chest wouldn't allow him to trust this entity for a second. He was convinced that Weavel was secretly working for this Hand, acting confused in order to keep a good image for Dedede. It was Weavel who manipulated the Dreadzone unit in the first place. Greninja showed the eyes of a raging Tauros, though it didn't even remotely phase the Hand. It patted upon its palm as it spoke.

"HEY, WATER you lookin at so intensely? Jeeeeeeezzzzzz, and here I thought it was bad enough that your vengeful pup didn't at least send me a letter about your recruitment. Why, I would've UNHANDED any project I was working on and strolled my way to your quarters for a proper greeting. Now here you are, already LEAPING to conclusions."

At that moment, a vortex opened up beside the Hand's throne. Taking up a similar dark themed design like the one Grexx used before, the vortex spat out two roguish humans. The last one to come out made Greninja cringe in discomfort. A girl who appeared human, but had a disfigurement unlike anything he has seen before. Whoever this person was had the Hand chuckling constantly.

The youthful girl gave a heartwarming smile, though it was a bit obvious there was hidden intent behind it. Almost half her body was cloaked in some type of glossy, silver material that latched onto her skin, right eye, hair, and even her attire reminiscent of a knight. A puff of hair concealed her corrupted eye, but her remaining pink colorized eye sat upon the more normal half. Her normal flesh consisted of an olive coloration with several silver cracks scattered across her face . The upper body was covered in silver armor while her waist sported a skirt. High knee boots acted as her leggings. A cloth of sorts seemingly tied her two cotton candy-like pony-tails of light blue that quickly faded into hot pink tips.

"Why did you make us come back here, "yelled one of the humans, rubbing two unstained daggers together. "And what happened with the rest of the lads? Weren't we supposed to take the whole shipment when the guards were distracted?"

"Oh silly, they would've known, "The mischievous girl's voice reminded Greninja of a child, so innocent and energetic it was. However, the rogues could only muster a worried glance her way. She caught their attention with a metallic spider crushed within her hand. It possessed the same key features of the same insect that sent Greninja through a vortex so suddenly. "Besides, you have to fulfill your end before we help you out."

"Uh huh, and we're taking the word of a crazy gal and some floating hand. Our folks must think us insane for making deals with you lot."

"You know, worrying over small stuff will lead to gray hairs. Isn't that right, Handy?"

"Of course, my adorable little sidekick, "The Hand joyously said as it hopped off its throne onto its two middle fingers. "Look darling, we have a guest. A Greninja from the Kalos region."

Greninja remained at a loss regarding his next action. Already, this entity knew who he was and his point of origin. Seemed to also possess decent knowledge regarding the Chasers and their operations. Usually, his instincts would have him act rather than wait. Now, every fiber of his being told him to run as far as he could. Greninja fought against such urges, knowing there was no escape route present. All he could do was fake his bravado when the girl's gaze fell on him. A childish chuckle flowed from her before she gave her opinion.

"I wub me a good froggy. They make this soothing squishy sound when you grab em reeeeeeeaaaaaaal tight by the chest. Squish…...squish…..squuuuuuiiiiiiiissssssssh! Heh heh heh, such a cool froggy. It looks like it can even fight, so bonus points! Can I play with it? I promise not to break it….badly!"

"Now I can't let things get out of HAND so quickly! He's just a tiny little tadpole, finally coming from that shallow pond he called a home. This Greninja's like a pre-cooked patty, or a video game littered with bugs. He ain't ready for a tussle in the SPLASH zone. I'll admit though, the sounds of a squishy frog is quite therapeutic. It's so….RIBBITING!"

"GODS, ENOUGH ALREADY, "Hollered one of the humans whose dagger was directed at the Hand. His ally hesitantly grasped his arm, casting a worried glance over to the entity seemed just as joyful. Shoving his associate off, he went to confront the Hand. "Morale is low as is over at camp. We don't got time to be sitting on our arses hearing you welcome another monster. We don't even know what the last job is, but you already made the guards aware of us."

"I don't ev…...is this creature supposed to be leading the villains, "Greninja whispered to himself, slightly jumped to the Hand swiftly turning for him.

"See tadpole, already LEAPING to conclusions again!"

"WHAT?"

"WHAT!"

"Wait…...you….can understand me?"

"Indeed, I'm HANDS down the best when it comes to translating any language. I knew that extensive course in sign language would be useful."

The entity spoke with such a boastful tone, Greninja almost found himself sickened. Its mannerisms as a whole was utterly childish. He knew there were two hands, but didn't know which name went with which.

"Crazy Hand, "Greninja spat out in disgust, tightening his grip around his blades. "You have to be Crazy Hand. There is nothing 'Master' about you!"

"Oh good, you already know about me and my brother. A shame he couldn't come. Maybe we…...wait, you're new to the Chaser business right? Then…..oh this might be interesting…...very interesting. My shinobi friend, I just came up with an idea. You see, I do feel really bad about wasting yall's time. When I send you back, it'll be with an army of Metalloids. You won't need to lose a single lad or lass."

"Wha…...wha, "One of the humans was overcome by some twisted sense of happiness. A sinister smile creeped onto his face. He kneeled before the entity, willing to be obedient for the sake of coin. "We'll surpass your expectations. What is it you wish?"

"Weeeeeeeeeeell, it's my watery friend over yonder. I like for yall to have a friendly match."

"A…...ma…..match? I…...don't see how that benefits you."

"It'll help me cope with my sudden depression. I robbed Greninja here of his time in the spotlight. So to make amends, i'm giving him another shot. Like Smash, it'll be a fight….TO THE DEATH!"

* * *

Beta: AreiaCananaid


	10. Malicious Void

Malicious Abyss

The truth had come in such a bizarre fashion, that it were almost unrealistic. The Hands that governed the outer realms were truly beyond comprehension. Texts spoke of an entity whose heart sat on the edge of non-existence, Crazy Hand. Driven by an obsessive need to mock all life, Crazy made any wrongdoing committed by Master seem like mere child's play. It was Crazy that took up the guise of various humans, instigating greater hostility between the worlds during the terrible war, Universal Peril. Unlike Master, Crazy didn't care for the interaction between species, but how many would perish from such a war.

Greninja finally got to witness the incarnation of evil firsthand within the outer realms. Crazy was in fact responsible for the raids, providing bandits the tools needed to accomplish them. Crazy stood high on his two middle fingers, laughing with such a condescending tone it could send the most patient ninja into a maddening rage. That very madness took over Greninja within an instant. With aggression spewing from his widened eyes, Greninja dashed for the Hand, screaming out his frustration.

Crazy Hand's thumb shot up, screaming like some overly frightened woman in a horror film. The knight went in for the interception, taking off with surprising speed that even had the rogues blinking several times. Their blades clashed, nearly sending Greninja to the ground. Her strength rivaled some pokemon he fought against. Despite this, he wasn't moved.

"OUT OF MY WAY, "Hollered Greninja. Almost as expected, the knight didn't abide. She just stared at him with murderous eyes. "DON'T MAKE ME HURT YOU!"

"Oh froggy, PLEASE DO, "screamed the knight as she forced more pressure on Greninja's defense, causing him to slide backwards. "You're not gonna lay a HAND on Crazy."

"FORGET THIS, "Greninja leapt backwards, gaining some distance from the knight. Upon landing, the two gave heavy stares to the other. Her stance spoke of experience. Crazy must had taught her well. "I WILL NOT FIGHT HIM! AND I WON'T ALLOW YOU TO HARM THOSE PEOPLE!"

Greninja threw his katanas with deadly accuracy for the knight, dashing as they flew. With a crooked grin, the girl swatted away the blades with her free hand. As the knight rushed forward, two blasts of water shot from Greninja's hand. The hydro pump sent the knight flying back a bit, tumbling to a stop. As she rose, Greninja was swiftly sliding across the line of water created. Before she could react, Greninja turned his back toward her as his momentum carried him. He drove his elbow into her stomach. Silverish fluid flew from her mouth as she bent over his limb. Greninja forced a sweeping kick through her legs. As she fell flat onto the ground, Greninja propelled himself into the air by forcing two blasts of water onto her body. As hydro pump ended, a water pulsed formed within Greninja's hand. The pokemon held it downward during his descent, watching the girl frantically wipe the water from her eyes. As they opened, all she saw was a water pulse inches away from her face. As the pulse drove her head into the ground, it expanded to where it completely obscured her body. The explosion sent Greninja hurling from the smoke.

Upon landing, Greninja's sight made a sharp turn for the trembling Hand behind him. With pure rage overshadowing his caution, Greninja charged for Crazy. The rogues dared not to move, staring at Greninja like if he were a legendary. Somehow, sweat was dripping down the Hand's glove-like exterior. His middle fingers danced around in place. He waved his palm all around the space of the void to find no aid.

"OH MAN….OH MAN, HE EVEN DEFEATED MY RIGHT HAND GAL. IT…...IT'S TOO SOON FOR ME TO BE A FINAL BOSS, "Crazy hollered as Greninja leapt for the air. A water pulse formed in Greninja's hand. Some sort of revelation dawned within Crazy, and made all the sweat from before evaporate within an instant. He took up his high and mighty stance, laughing joyously. "WAIT, I'm the undefeatable boss during the prologue!"

Just when Greninja were within striking distance, Crazy shot his thumb toward him. A violet barrier instantly appeared around Crazy, stopping the frog in his tracks. Greninja once again found himself flying back from the pulse's explosion, engulfing Crazy in blackened smoke. Water swirled around Greninja's hands, but an energized bolt soaring from the smoke disrupted the flow. Barely stepping out of its path, Greninja watched the bolt explode behind him. He glanced over to Crazy to see him floating in the air doing his best impression of a hand gun.

"Madness is such a wonderful treat, isn't it , "Crazy said with an unusually calm tone. "Yes…...yes, Gardevoir's eyes hasn't aged a bit. Soooo, you got a little bias for humans, huh? You'll hesitate with humans cause you're all lovey dovey with them, but me…..oh you'll see me bleed out."

"WHAT! DO….DON'T BE…..,"

"Or are you planning on…...arresting me?"

"Th…..that's right. The Federation will know what to do with you."

"Really…...really? Don't know how you plan on carrying me over to a starship with that scrawny body. I'm the fight to the bitter end kind of guy anyway. Now, stop speaking such nonsense and listen to your true self."

"My…...true self?"

"You should've felt it a little while ago, your hatred."

"Succumbing to hatred…...is not the answer. The same people who mistreated my kin are prove of that."

"Oh what a lovely language that is. Peace is love. Peace is life. If only the universe was so giving to such outstanding citizens. Alas, it didn't give you any strength during the times you needed it. Ya know, the reptilicus, Ruto, and Sylux."

Time came to a halt for Greninja when he heard those names. The fear he felt in his dreams finally surfaced to reality, forcing him to unknowingly take a few steps backwards. How would Crazy Hand know about them if he were just seeing Greninja for the first time? As that thought passed, Crazy shook his finger.

"WATER ya thinking about toad? It wouldn't be how I know about them, right? Please, I've been watching you since your recruitment. Though it was Master who knew about you first. He just so happened to pass the information along. That skit with Davy Weavel was just for fun. Nevertheless, I did want to see you, but I had to confirm something first. Good news though, you have potential after all. So let me give you a HAND."

Crazy softly landed upon the ground, extending his thumb as far to the side as he could, "Destroy me!"

"WHAT?!"

"Ya heard me! Don't worry, no one will hassle you for doing so. I caused so much ruin to all those puny worlds, so many glamourous deaths. Who knows, you may even be considered a true hero amongst the Smashers. A newcomer who achieved the impossible with his bare hands…...I mean flippers…..or whatever you call those things. You'll be placed on a pedestal far above whatever status those elderly Superiors have. Wasn't that your goal?"

It had to be a lie. Greninja were speechless to the absurd request. An entity driven by chaos asked for death by his hand. It were true that many hated Crazy's existence, but was it really his call? Still, he had to ponder the idea. Even Weavel seemed to hate the mere thought of the Hand. Being so malicious, it be hard to imagine anybody would cry over Crazy's death. Even so, a lingering thought ceased his pondering.

"Forget it! I'm not gonna play your games!"

Crazy immediately took on a somber posture. His palm was bent way down with his thumb dangling, "Gotta HAND it to ya, the boy scout mentality is strong with you. You must be one of those idiots who let the most dangerous of beings live because…...morality. Man, I thought we had ourselves a winner, but it seems you're destined to fail. Oh well, I guess you'll just have to die."

"WHAT!"

"Whaaaaaa, didn't you just hear what I said before. You and this little fella here will duke it out to the bitter end. Since you're too much of a goodie two shoes to ever draw blood, I suppose that means you're just dandy about death. And you know he isn't going to let you get in the way of his booty."

"DON'T BOTHER, "A sharp tone echoed profoundly from behind Greninja. He slowly turned for the source, horrified by the sight. The knight from before now rode upon a rowdy horse, completely encased in the silver disfigurement that made up almost half of the girl. Together, they emitted a bloody aura that frighteningly complemented her crazed gaze toward the frog. The tip of her sword was thrusted in his direction. "WHEN I'M DONE, CRAZY WILL BE HAVING FROG LEGS FOR DINNER!"

"HOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLD, "Crazy shouted as he leapt into the air, gaining absurd height. HIs landing was steady akin to a gymnast, guarding Greninja from her harsh intentions. "Winggal, everyone has to earn their paychecks, you know. You'll get your playtime, but I just need you to be a little patient is all."

"But…...but he clearly doesn't care for his own life! And there is no way those meat sacs could beat froggy. Why you going easy?"

"Because child, outta all of us, he's the only one who could inspire hope!"

Crazy spun himself around more times than Greninja could bare to look at, eventually facing toward the frog with his thumb stretched out, "HE IS A NEW SEED! AND LIKE ALL SEEDS, WE NEED TO HE….."

"WAIT, "A shinobi spat out, frightening the Hand into ushering an exaggerated squeal. Greninja couldn't find it within him to be mad at the human. Something were off. The confidence that radiated from him evaporated, leaving behind eyes that flickered akin to a dying lamp. "Why do we have to fight him? We seen your work, why not off him yourself? Or have the girl do it? I mean…...she just said we couldn't beat it!""

"Ohhhhhh, I geeeeeeet it, "The girl joyously screeched, giving off a gaze toward the rogues that had their wills tremble. "The awe those toys had went all poof, haven't they?"

"Gods, there she goes again, talkin' all that nonsense! What toys?!"

"You silly! And not just you…, "Even a machine held more of a soul than her horrid, mechanical laughter. Greninja could only feel pity for the rogues, despite their initial goal. Their dark days were about to begin by the looks of it. His instincts screamed at him, leaving Greninja as still as a substitute doll, incapable of processing the situation.

"Sniff…..sniff, metalloids grow up so fast! I knew making a metalloid out of her was a grand idea, "Crazy Hand boasted, making the knight blush in glee. Within an eye's blink, Crazy's body vanished into dust, abruptly appearing behind the shinobi. Abysmal darkness that made up Crazy's heart rotted anything it came in contact with, even though his reappearance made not a sound, his henchmen froze to death's presence. Fidgety hands could barely keep their daggers in check, sweating like deserters in an endless desert. With a mighty leap, Crazy shot two fingers straight at Greninja. "LEAP!"

An icy bite usually received within snow filled mountains assaulted his feet, slowly slithering upward. A wide eyed glance saw a whirlpool coated in silver, actively spreading right beneath him on its own accord. An incomprehensible screech flowing from the liquid dominated his bravery. Tendrils latched onto Greninja's legs. Greninja leapt from the danger, seeing the liquid easily slip off him. The puddle grew to about the size of a table at one of those cafe's within Kalos, forming into different shapes.

"I can't let my little sidekick here get all bored, and quite frankly, she was speaking some mad truth about you guys, "Crazy ended in a mutter, "RISE…...FALLEN ONE….RISE AND SERVE YOUR NATION ONCE MORE. IN THE NAME OF ENTERTAINMENT, I RESURRECT THEE. FIGHT FOR THE HONOR OF THESE FIENDS!"

The liquid abided, like if Crazy were its master. It rose itself, gathering all its essence in the process. Resurrection! What kind of power did Crazy possess? And what of this "Master"? These questions haunted Greninja with the liquid taking up the sloppy form of a human by the looks of it, though it were quickly questioned again when a tail started to form as well. Not much time had passed, yet the liquid swiftly refined the outer layer: sharpened the edges and curves, added details that eventually made it evident it were wearing clothes, and molded animal-like ears that made the body even more confusing. Color eventually faded in, completing the transformation, and thus it started moving on its own accord.

Basic human designs were taken into consideration for this man, but half of his person must had belonged to a beast of sorts, sorta reminding Greninja of a Ninetails, but with a light shade of orange fur from his puffy tail and ears. A white patch sat at the tail's end, as well as puffs of white fur protruding from the inside of his ears. Black and white striped cloth were loosely tied around his neck and waist, lying over top a darkened blue shirt that hugged his body. Black leggings traversed to about a little below the knee, eventually being cut off by bleach, tabi socks within an open black footwear. An olive complexion of his slightly revealed chest matched that of any exposed skin.

His blank expression never left Greninja once they rested upon him, lacking any kind of hostility or passion. Movement failed to faze this individual, not the soundous chuckling from both the knight and Crazy, or the battle stance Greninja took up. Maybe he were just that focused, or perhaps he weren't focused in the slightest, staring off into space in hopes someone would inform him. If Crazy were to be believed, and as hard as resurrection was to believe, one would assume anybody would be speechless to suddenly wake within the void. After all, the shock of real resurrection paled in comparison to the void, and more so compared to a floating, talking Hand that bred madness. Greninja couldn't find it within himself to question what he saw.

"Looky here my furry friend, "Crazy hollered. "I did you a big ole favor, and i'm lookin' to collect my own. Before we go into that though, that frog said some horrible things about your dead clansmen, and I just couldn't sit by and watch. It were sounding a bit too….familiar, like…..if he were part of something that caused your ruin…...if you catch my drift."

"Do you expect him to buy anything of that, "Greninja retaliated, glaring at the Hand.

"What conclusions are ya LEAPIN' to now? Why does it even matter if he believes it or not? I did say he came here in the name of entertainment, and he will repay my favor by acting in my favor, which means a death battle, of course. I'm simply giving him some lore, striking motivation into that pup, that's all. BUUUUUUUUT, to save you the trouble, he ain't gonna understand pokemon speech, so you're forever D RANK strangers!"

"I SAID I…...ARGH, ENOUGH OF THIS! I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU ARE, "Greninja sprinted for the Hand, skiing a newly formed water katana across the landscape. "I CAN'T STAY HERE! I WON'T DIE HERE!"

The frantic nature of Crazy rose its ugly head with Greninja's swift approach, forcing a worried dance upon the air by his two middle fingers. Reasons better off not known kept his sidekick at ease, merely watching what she must had deemed a pointless endeavor. It were then, at that exact moment, his instincts hollered at him. A chill ran along his spine with the rapid steps of some other being approaching from behind. Glancing back revealed nothing but the wide jaw of an airborne creature he hadn't seen yet, looking to tear his face off. Greninja slid to the side, processing the heat that spewed from the creature's mouth. With a graceful landing, it slid back into Greninja's direction, growling with the intentions of a starved beast. A large fox were the aggressor, lined with the same fur texture as the supposed resurrected man-beast. It leapt side to side upon its black paws, loosely followed by two dark blue, bodies of flames. Somewhat spiky patches of red laid behind its arms.

A creature swift as Greninja couldn't be ignored, but he knew not about the whereabouts of the humanoid. Or were that creature that very man?"

"So sorry about that! Kinda had to cheat a little with this one, "Crazy commented. "This fella can now transform on the fly! Neat, I know!"

"Tra…..transform?!"

"Yuuuuup, he the same dude I brought back earlier."

"So…..he…..re...really is a beast!"

"He sure is, and buddy, you wouldn't believe his kill to death ratio when he was liv….."

Much like a wild beast to be impatient, darting for Greninja with almost soundless steps. His teeth swiftly came in for Greninja's stomach. The pokemon simply leapt over the fox, holding true to not playing Crazy's killing game. Even if the probability of success were miniscule, a part of him pleaded that he try and defeat the mastermind. Solely because Crazy spoke so loosely when motivating the beast-kin, chances were that Crazy's malicious natured leaked into his heart, acting akin to a brainwashed follower. He had to chance it! Upon landing, Greninja sprinted for the Hand with the growling fox giving chase.

Water shurikens formed within Greninja's hands, a sight that had Crazy dancing along the ground in a panicked state, somehow sweating up a storm. The shurikens soared for the group, eventually resulting in another morale crushing obstacle; an invisible light cobalt barrier separated the fighters from the others, stretching as wide as the island and an unattainable height made leaping a pipe dream. His weapons bounced off without even causing a spark, evaporating during their descent. The man-beast sped up on the confused pokemon. Greninja refused to glance behind himself, fearing that seeing such close bloodlust would have him freeze up. With the barrier so close, Greninja leapt onto the wall, immediately hopping off its frame. His rival's fur brushed against his feet, reminding him of the small distance they likely had. Mostly due to his beast-like mindset, the fox crashed into the barrier, falling flat on his belly. Greninja's elegant landing with a newly formed katana in hand warranted laughter from both the knight and Crazy.

"WATER you tryin' to do to me, toad, "Crazy hollered. "I mean…..I guess there is some sense to your madness. But am I truly the one you wanna fight right now? After all, i'm only trying to help you!"

"HE…..HELP? HOW IS THIS ANYTHING OF THE SORT, "Greninja vented, sending an echo across the void. He took up a stance to his enemy who were now hopping side to side again.

"Hmmmm, a tad bit boring to say, but I think froggy isn't ready for the juicy part, "The knight suggested, ushering a disdained glare at the frog. She took her time getting off her horse.

"Soooooooo….take some weights off the bar is whatcha gettin' at, "Crazy responded, rubbing his palm with his thumb as he pondered. "Mmmmmmaaaaaaayyyyybe…...you're onto something, sidekick. People came to see violence. A dodging session will only have folks leave mid ma….mid maa…...I can't complete that sentence, it's too embarrassing to even think about! ALRIGHTY THEN, GRENINJA, I'VE DECIDED AGAINST THE KILLING GAME!"

"Really! How convenient, "Greninja sneered, still maintaining his stance.

"I know right! Anyway, we're back to square one! I want you to simply stop him from moving! I'll take a mere knockout if that's more your style."

No normal being could comprehend Crazy's change of heart, not Greninja, or the shinobi that gave their leader a malicious glare. They couldn't do nothing though, not with the knight's hand firmly on her sword. A passive will overcame the fox. For whatever reason, the man-beast kept still, looking back at Crazy. Greninja would not be fooled. It couldn't be that simply, not when Crazy held so much power over the situation. A malicious entity actually caring about another creature were the most unlikely thing he had ever been asked to believe. He kept to his stance, waiting for the moment Crazy would be foolish enough to forsaken his barrier. Since the point he were brought here, Gardevoir's voice remained silent; a good chance her voice couldn't reach the void. Noticing the frog's reluctance, Crazy spoke once more.

"Boy, talk about a tough crowd. Still not convinced? Psssh, no hassle! Kinda expected you'd be that way. So i'll tell you what, how about a little…..motivation! Class, if we review the previous chapter, you'll remember that I were the one supplying these men here with metalloids to perform raids. It were also when I announced the death battle. Of course, since my sidekick brought to my attention that it would be a boring match, I decided to change the challenger. Although, I did say that if the shinobi won, they'd get enough metalloids to kill EVERYBODY ON BOARD! That same reward would apply if the beast-kin wins as well…...however…...however….."

Crazy started to levitate in the air, pointing at the knight, "Sidekick, help me out here! What should the reward be for the frog?"

"Ooooooh, that's too easy! Froggy here look like the savior type, soooooo…...let's use the people as the bone. If froggy here wins, how about we stop supporting the rogues. Buuuuuuuut, since i'm all about being fair, if the man-beast loses, "It were then that the darkness hidden her childish mask leaked out. Eyes opened wide, radiating with bloodlust. Her grin couldn't be wider, chuckling like the child she pretended to be. "KILL…...I WILL KILL ALL THE REMAINING SHINOBI AND BANDITS WHO SUPPORTED THE RAIDS!"

What were loyalty to Crazy; partnerships to him were simply temporary alliances to ensure his own entertainment. So many raids, so much time had passed since their initial deal, and still worth very little at the end. No hesitation or somberness could be found in her words, and both her and Crazy shared the same ideal. She couldn't be anymore serious, even were on the verge of laughing. One of the shinobi wouldn't grant her such luxury, and lunged toward the girl, flying a dagger for her heart. Her smile never faded, as if every motion he made she already pictured. A swift grasp onto his arm kept the blade at bay.

"DO…..DON'T YOU DARE MAKE ABSURD JOKES LIKE THAT AGAIN! I WON'T ALLOW IT, YA HEAR ME, "The shinobi hollered. His arms trembled with the motions of a frightened beast, trying to force himself through the immovable wall that were the knight. "WHAT ARE YA, HUH? JUST AN ART PROJECT THAT GREW A BLOODY BRAIN, ONE IN A MILLION BY THE LOOKS OF IT! YA AIN'T RESPECTABLE, AND AS FUNNY AS A DEAD MAN. KEEP YA MOUTH SHUT, AND STAY IN YOUR PLACE, WENCH!"

"My place, "It were then that the shinobi's mistake dawned on him, but it were too late. The intensity of the knight's grip were now on par with a Krookodile's bite, instantly succumbing the man to his knees. His pain riddled hollers didn't reach her heart, if she even had one. "And what of yours, shinobi? What would your precious queen say if she saw you here, right now, making dealings with us? It was YOUR PLACE to stay by her side, even after the war's end, but you just couldn't accept that, right? After the death of your favorite prince, you lost your minds, and left the damn kingdom to rot. That death…...your revenge…..we saw entertainment in them! We helped you to become the best entertainers to us, and you were lots of fun to watch. But alas, you're nothing more but a stupid shell, a husk of revenge. And now, you ninjas goofed up by becoming no good bandits! You're not wanted in either kingdom, nope, no PLACE whatsoever. STAY IN MY PLACE? HOW ABOUT I SEND YOU TO YOURS!"

Before everyone's eyes, without even the tiniest bit of sympathy or hesitation, she plunged her sword through his chest; blood splattered across her armor and face, and her eyes lit up like she hit the jackpot. Shook bounded the man into silence. A hopeless gaze fell onto his wound. An extreme act still wasn't enough, even with the shinobi's weapon leaving his hand. They all gave witness to a brutal display of the knight stabbing the man repeatedly, laughing childishly to the life draining from his eyes. The body fell, but that didn't mean anything. Her strikes continued, seemingly having more force behind following strikes. The earth around his motionless body were painted red, creating a sight that made the remaining shinobi fall in disbelief, processing the fate he may had doomed his allies to. Her frenzy finally slowed to a complete stop, resting upon the hilt of her sword, taking in deep breathes. When her gaze met with Greninja, he knew she wasn't tired, but overwhelmed by her own emotions. The blood that coated the knight made her look frighteningly natural, and she were unbothered by it. She thrusted a finger Greninja's way.

"Froggy, ignore these no good folk. Just whip out your sword and go all thwack….and swoosh, your passengers depend on it. Heh heh heh…."

"The…..the sidekick is out of control! She's growing too fast, "Crazy hollered, patting his sweating palm rapidly. "Is this what it feels like to have your child replace you as manager? It…..it's…...FANTASTIC!"

Crazy's whip lashing emotional state seemed to be a common thing for him, chuckling without even a spec of sweat present upon him for some reason. He pointed toward Greninja.

"Still though, I wish she didn't thwack the man. Now only that whimpering coward can give us the final image. Regardless, we had a good run with these blokes. Much better folk await us, but honor bounds us to these hooligans, ehhhh…..so to speak. How abouts doing us a solid and defeating that fox, yeah! It be a real pain if I had to listen to another crying session from the Chasers…..over another dead rookie! And not just you, the folks that were left under your watch. The bandits, or the passengers! One group must die! And you wouldn't want blood on your washed up soul, right?"

"DAMN YOU…...WHY…...why, "Greninja fleeting courage left through his tone, shunning his eyes from the horrific sight. This wasn't the first time he witnessed death. The natural cycle of his world had the food chain, and he occasionally gave witness to its workings, and even caused a few deaths himself for food. There were always a reason for it however, and he never sought after a human's life. The void were not a natural force, and neither were Crazy or the knight. She had no reason to kill, the shinobi were even an ally who dedicated time for their amusement, yet laid dead simply because the knight willed it so. Abnormals ideals, disdain for life, unnatural abilities beyond comprehension, yet Greninja thought even for a second that logic had a chance here. To destroy life beyond his own world never felt right, and Crazy was capitalizing on his emotions.

"I'm…..sorry, but…..you made your choice, "Greninja whispered, staring at the distraught man grasping at his hair's beginnings. "Fine, i'll….play whatever game you desire! Just please, don't hurt those people."

Greninja fell onto his knees, bowing before the Hand's prowess. Crazy's silence couldn't foster positive, or negative emotions within the frog; the heartache, his fear of denial, and his hope for mercy were equal in measure.

"Tell me, who ya referring to, "Crazy hand responded, "The hooligans? Or maybe…"

"PASSENGERS…...the passengers, obviously! You already know i'm a Chaser…...so…...I can't let you…...or him get in my way! If someone has to be sacrificed….then…"

"Sooooooo, you'll do anything, eh? GOOD! A nice heroic answer, even if a rookie is the one saying it. Buuuuuuut, just for the record, this ain't somethin' to be whining about. I mean, the shinobi are petty losers, traitors, casual killers my dude! They're beasts."

None of his agitating nonsense could stir Greninja anymore than he already had. Crazy's mindset were strictly set on tossing the rogues to the grave, but to what end? And what of the killing game? There were almost no point in questioning these things any longer, for Crazy or his sidekick would no doubt conjure more desperate jokes to dodge them. He looked to the mental picture of all the other Chasers, thinking about what they would do in this scenario. Even still, they all favored Crazy's game entirely. Some would yell, a few would cry, but death for themselves or the passengers wouldn't be accepted. Lucario would likely laugh at the idea of weighing rogues and passengers the same. At the very least, he could ease himself with not having to kill his opponent just for entertainment's sake. Greninja rose to meet the gaze of his opponent, thrusting his sword forward, albeit fear shook his hold.

"Hmmmm…...yes, a good start…..pretty good start, if not a bit disappointing, "Crazy muttered. "But, we all gotta start somewhere. Though…..now that I look at the fox, he be lookin' a bit…...weaker than when he died. Meh, my fault then. Anyway, go CRAZY you two!"

Loyal to the desires of his master, the fox were the first to resume the struggle. Greninja's body tensed, still uneasy about the whole affair, but death awaited his failure. A predictable lunge for Greninja were met with a just as swift side step. The tip of a water katana carved a lengthy cut along the fox's side. Short trails of silver lifeblood trickled out the wound, though the fox must had not noticed. Upon landing, it slowly shifted a beastly glare at Greninja. Through the workings of his unnatural rebirth, tendrils of silver essence clung to the wound, forcibly closing it, ironing out imperfections like nothing had happened. Greninja retook his stance, screaming at the top of his lungs internally. Were this a trick? No, Crazy already showed his disdain for the rogues; he likely wanted this to end as much as Greninja did. But this creature, it finally dawned on him what he were going up against. After occasional eavesdrops on Gardevoir, he learned of demons, claded in metal flesh, mimicking the physique of other living beings: Metalloids!

"Not even surprised you lied about this, "Greninja yelled, dashing for the fox with his blade ready to strike. The beast leapt back, hopping forward a little with its body twirling around upon landing. His tail barely clipped the ears of the ducking pokemon. From the corner of his eye, the beast caught a katana's tip quickly soaring in for a stab. He leapt to the side, and Greninja anticipated it. Twisting his direction on a single foot, Greninja launched three mini shurikens from his free hand in one swift motion. Every single one found a place upon the beast's body, one of which rested within the head. The fox hissed, frantically wiping off the shuriken with a paw. "Soooo…...they weren't exaggerating! These were the Metalloids she hated so much. "

"Whoooops, "Crazy Hand whimpered, shrugging with the confidence of a sinless man. He very quickly returned to his energetic persona. "I didn't wanna confuse ya, newbie. It's like tryin' to explain exponents to a preschooler. But ya damn kids and your curiosity. Yall are smarter than you appear. TRUE…..it be so true, it's nothing but a copy of the original. Happened to get a bit too lazy for real resurrection, so I opted for a Metalloid instead. Aren't I just a pro at procrastinating?"

No response were given. Those beyond the wall could only witness the lethal dance of close shaves, and precise strikes. Not the soundous chuckling from Crazy, nor the cheering from the knight could distract the fighters from one another. Flames orbiting the fox finally revealed their purpose. Flaming pellets flew from the orbs in flurries. Greninja dashed around the fox, avoiding the stream. Each fallen pellet levitated off the ground after some time, eventually returning to the source. The stream soon ceased, and the beast went on the offensive. Given little resistance, the fox bit down hard upon Greninja's shoulder. Smoke consumed both fighters, and the fox were left whimpering to his chewing causing what felt like splinters to assault the beast's mouth. A pain riddled growl flew from the beast with two water katanas striking down through the fox's back. Greninja reappeared untouched, forcing the beast into dropping the wooden substitute he created. A succession of stabs from the pokemon sent the fox into a wild rage, desperately trying to throw him off with abrupt movement. The orbs soon morphed into flaming spears, aimed for Greninja's head. The frog forsaken the swords, soaring into the air with hydro pump aimed directly onto the beast. The spears missed, and the fox were disoriented.

Patches of silver littered the beast's coat, gradually being absorbed into the body once more. Greninja wasted no time in closing the distance upon landing. Trails of water slithered along the arms to his hands.

"I WON'T LET YOU, "Greninja hollered, letting the newly crafted mini shurikens fly. A swift swat from the creature's tail disrupted every single one. Greninja kept a hand hidden behind his back, forming a water pulse. Ushering a bark, the fox rushed for the frog, darting from side to side. The fox's fangs came in, and so did the water pulse. The sphere were driven into the beast's mouth, detonating immediately. From the expanding smoke, the fox's frailing body tumbled across the field. His paws forced himself to a stop, and a high pitch bark escaped the fox with Greninja soaring from the cloud for him. The pokemon's back faced the beast, jetting himself through the air with a blast of water. His feet slid across the ground, quickly forcing a katana through the beast's side. Unleashing a mighty yell, Greninja dragged the katana through its insides, having it fly out with plentiful silver lifeblood following.

Somehow still in possession of a great deal of stamina after taking a devastating blow, the beast leapt away with trails of silver leaking about. It took steps akin to a drunkard, stalking around Greninja with a slight sway to its body.

"Just…..go…...down, " Greninja angrily muttered, but that only offended the creature. Venting displeasure through forceful barks, the fox darted for him once more. "Give me a….."

Greninja slid beneath the beast's leap, swiftly slashing against its abdomen. Upon landing it vented a hollow huff, lowering its posture. Spotting an opening, Greninja rushed to his feet, dashing in for the slash. Its ears shot up, and the beast twirled itself around. Its tail crashed into the frog's cheek. The frog tumbled about a short distance, thankfully that the beast were too shaken by its injuries to give chase right away. A heated sensation similar to being struck with flamethrower riddled his cheek. The legends were true, they struck with the strength of metal. Greninja, rubbing the struck cheek, looked to the fox drooling silver liquid, and to the water katana that had slid away from him on the other side. His rival looked ready to pounce, and their speed were almost equal. Greninja laid a palm out of the fox's sight. Greninja took to a kneeling position, yet didn't take to standing. Water quickly gathered beneath his hidden palm, keeping perfectly still.

Tales spoke of the Metalloid menace. Artificial creatures bred for a singular purpose, to fight endlessly. Even with gaping wounds, the fox still stalked without paying much heed to its injuries. Without its knowledge, a water katana took shape within Greninja's hand. The beast lunged in a moments notice. Acting just as swiftly, Greninja darted for the fox, keeping his posture low. A damning blow froze the beast. A katana burrowed into its stomach, and forced up the body and through its lower jaw. A kick to its abdomen sent the beast crashing upon its back, slowly whipping its legs and arms akin to an insect on the border of death.

The vibrant color that gave the fox life gradually devolved into the lifeless coloration of a basic metalloid. Liquidized flesh rapidly melted away from its solid shape; steam escaped through plentiful bubbles forming along its surface. A hand piercing through the disfigured body made Greninja leap back in fright, retaking his stance. Whole sections that were still a part of the fox ceased to stay together, thus ridding the beast of any familiar features. Another figure came splashing out of the ruin, coated entirely in the monster's essence; it were the beast in human form. A beaten pup it was, slowly crawling from its previous form. Its legs ceased to function, only good for leaving trails of essence behind. Hollow moans were all that greeted Greninja, yet his blade never budged. Struggling to even get halfway to the frog proved to consume its remaining life. The metalloid's arms trembled fiercely, caving in to their own weight. Their gazes met for a moment, and the creature vented out a final exhale, crashing down into a twitching state.

Nothing could persuade Greninja to face Crazy in triumph. Instincts directed his movements since his struggle's beginnings, yet they kept pestering despite the cause seeming lifeless. A curious step toward the fallen aroused a starving flame deep within the metalloid. Spontaneous vitality fueled the man beast's swift charge for the frog, acting out a finally push off the ground for the frog's life. As quick it was to reanimate itself, it wound up ceasing just as swiftly. A katana tore through the creature's shoulder, and protruded from its waist. Greninja, surprised himself, staring at his attacking arm that acted solely out of instinct. A burning sensation littered his heart, and spread further out. He fell to his knees, grasping onto his chest while trying desperately to breathe. It was just a metalloid, a phrase that he kept replaying through his head like a broken record. Nothing were left to keep the metalloid standing, thus cursing it to a quick collapse of its entire being.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH, "A soundous, overly exaggerated shriek reaching the far corners of the void nearly shocked Greninja's heart into stopping. A sharp glance saw Crazy standing on two fingers behind him, sweating up a storm.

"When did you….., "Greninja went silent watching the Hand fall upon his two middle phalanx'.

"YOU…...YOU KILLED HIM, AND HE WAS JUST BORN TODAY! I EVEN GAVE YOU AN OPTION, YET YOU STILL…"

"Are you done, "Greninja spat out, fighting through his trembling to face the Hand. "I played it…..alright, I PLAYED YOUR GAME…..AND WON! HAVE THE SPINE TO AT LEAST…..,"

"Yeah yeah yeah, I know the deal, "Crazy leapt back onto his middle fingers, washing away all the sweat he built up from his boastful laughter alone. He waved a middle finger Greninja's way. "I didn't care about that kitsune anyway! An idiot in reality, and a loser in death. Can't really be all that surprised that it didn't put up much of a fight, but that's beside the point! I'm a squeaky clean hand with chemicals for flesh, and the smell of cut grass flowing from my fingertips. I never even considered going back on my word, not even for a moment! Don't ya worry toad, I ain't gonna drown your peeps in metalloids, and i'm cutting off funds to the hooligans!"

"YAAAAAAY, froggy is pretty good for a stray, "Even before the knight approaching them spoke, her bloodlust radiated with the intensity of a Magmar, persuading his instincts to have him look her way. The remaining shinobi were dragged by the neck, incapable of overpowering her hold. Frantic kicks, incoherent noises, and nails scratching along her gauntlets did little to warrant the knight's attention. "Sooooo, should I start with this…"

Greninja's abrupt dash for the knight shocked Crazy into a straightened posture. Unfazed, the knight took a swipe at Greninja with her own blade. Blades clashed, and yet the knight still ushered a cheerful smile.

"Oooooooooo, I think I like froggy again! Buuuuuuuuuut, you should know I play rough. No worries though, I won't break ya, cause you know, your cute.

"Tell me, can you understand me too?"

"Uh huh! Crazy is such a great language teacher, you know!"

"Then i'll make this crystal clear! You will release him and leave his kind alone, or….or you'll suffer the other metalloid's fate! They deserve many things, but death shouldn't be one of them."

"Jeeeeez, we could've been best friends if you were this quick to kill the hooligans. You would've looked awesome in red!"

"QUIET, you're nothing but a metalloid. No one could expect you to understand mercy!"

"Heeeeeeeeeey, that's racist!"

"I'm just gonna…...walk over there, "Crazy whimpered, tip toeing away from the two with a slight shiver in his step.

"Maybe…...I should talk the only language you truly understand! I'll be the one to take his place!"

"What ya mean froggy?"

"You like to kill, right? Then I offer another game! I'll risk my life for theirs! Take me out, and you can do what….."

"I ACCEPT, "The knight's chuckled like a schoolgirl, throwing her captive out yonder. Her body ushered a violet aura, assaulting Greninja's body with an arctic bite. "Oh, i'm gonna wuuuuuuub this! PLEASE, GO CRA…"

The two ceased for a moment. An unusually sensation vibrated their bodies ever so slightly. Lightning that radiated a pure white glow crackled between the two; such an oddity only sparked a crooked head from Greninja, yet the knight's widened eyes couldn't tear themselves from the sight. An emotion Greninja never thought he see from the knight slowly overridden her need for blood, devolving into a trembling coward who couldn't even spit out a word. Greninja swiftly leapt away from her, and ushered a confused moan when the knight didn't budge in the slightest. Crazy's thumb tapped upon his palm, venting out frustration through exhales that scorched the very air.

"Te…...TELL HIM….TO BUG OFF, "The knight hollered, incapable of shifting her body still.

"Hmph, what a killjoy I swear, "Crazy muttered, walking toward the girl. His thumb rested upon her head. "We'll let him go for now."

"WHAT…...BUT…...BUT….."

"Oh don't you worry, we'll be having a LONG talk about this little intervention, mark my words! Just…...let him go for now. I hate to see you get erased from existence, "Crazy took a sharp turn toward Greninja. "As for you….."

It happened so fast. Every fiber of Greninja's being rebelled against him all at once, sending the poor frog crashing face first into the ground. Not a single fiber of muscle could stir, only desperate thoughts racing through his mind gave him the impression he were still alive. Crazy didn't capitalize on the situation, nor did his loyal sidekick charge in for the kill despite how notably upset she was. Humming an annoyingly pleasant tune, Crazy skipped over to Greninja. A frigid breeze that even the cruelest mountains in Kalos couldn't hope to rival tortured the frog as Crazy stood over him, waving around his thumb.

"Don't you worry now, we'll stick to the script next time! Why don't you go home and freshen up a bit, "Crazy glanced over to his knight, dragging along the struggling shinobi. He were thrown right next to Greninja, and a dumbfounded stare at Crazy, unwilling to resist his prowess.

"Said to let Weavel handle this meatsac, "The knight sneered, trying desperately to control her trembling blade.

"Given away prizes now? Could've at least had the courtesy to wrap up the gift, "Crazy's finger rushed out for the shaking shinobi. Chains born from void particles gathering in emass encircled the man, trapping his arms in black, unmoving steel. It was inevitable that he would twist and turn to undo the binds, alas, the shinobi only succeeded in dragging himself to the ground. "Ya know what, i'm feelin' a bit generous myself. You deserve a prize from yours truly."

A plethora of darkness and light tendrils soared over to Greninja, gathering into two seperate, small clouds of energy. Solidifying, crystals were born: one encased in materials that rested in the abyss itself, and the other which gave off a shine that rivaled the sun for a sole moment. Both levitated down upon Greninja's back, yet he didn't feel the hopeless chill of darkness, nor the scorching of the light. Liquid, unlike that which bred the metalloids, protruded from cracks within the landscape. Seconds passed, and both the shinobi and pokemon were sitting upon an ever growing puddle of liquid, showing a surface design that stunned Greninja with its familiarity.

"Tell Gardevoir I said hi….and that i'm ALWAYS…...WATCHING, "Crazy sneered, chuckling at the incomprehensible noises flowing from Greninja's mouth. "AAAAAAAANNNNNNNND…...SCENE!"

As if the very ground beneath Greninja had dissipated within an instant, the two swiftly sunk through the liquid. The watery depths of what the realm had to offer didn't haunt them, instead a blinding light of a rising sun accompanied by a light cool breeze greeted their arrival. They both struck hardened wood, nearly sliding off its edge. Greninja looked out to the passing hills and trees sheltering sleeping fauna; it were the planet he was sent to originally. Not just the planet, but even the very train he rode broke his fall. Automatically, Greninja tried to reposition himself. As he struggled a bit to keep his balance while standing, having suffered from the side effects of being completely immobile, he let out a breath of relief knowing the curse had lifted. A single step forward brought about a sharp sting to his foot. Greninja recoiled, and looked down upon one of Crazy's gifts, the bright crystal. Soon as the pokemon lifted up the gift, feeling its warm embrace spread throughout his hand, the corrupted crystal's whereabouts became a concern.

"Back so soon, frog, "A mechanical voice grabbed Greninja's attention. Weavel, along with the others, were all bunched together on the opposite end of the cart. Dedede and Escargoon were caring for the boy that Greninja fought before. Weavel proceeded to head toward Greninja. "I'm sure you have enough questions for two lifetimes, but i'm not in the mood to talk about….HIM! Though I imagine it has…..."

A soundous noise of cracked ice captured Weavel, and unleashed a spine tingling chill that put the paleness back into the king and his servent. What Greninja saw when the cyborg moved his one foot had his heart skip a beat, the remaining gift. Of course, Weavel were compelled to pick it up. It were unharmed by Weavel's weight, continuing to emit a daunting aura that befitted the pirate's heart.

"Lookin' like da toad brought over some goods, "Dedede commented, "Peeking over Weavel's side, granting the crystal a narrow glare. "Hmph, that good for nothin' giving folks crystals, like we stupid or somethin'! A childish prank for da toad all that is! Toss that trash overboard, will ya!"

"Hmmmm, nothing seems unusual about this one, and it's little different than the crystals we use. Energy circulation is normal, but…..this one…...ahhhh, I see."

"What ya thinkin' now?"

"Greninja found us a real gem alright. It's not a master variant, which means….."

"It…..it only leads to one world and back! Like da one that crazy goot took from us?"

"Exactly! What we have here is a ticket to a new wo….."

An accidently glance up at the frog gave view to hostile intent. Greninja were already so close with a katana rearing to strike the cyborg. Quick reactions saw to an energy blade flowing from the creature's arm intercept the attack. Upon clashing, Greninja immediately went to take the crystal from Weavel's fingers, but the pirate swiftly threw his hand up high. Weavel had encountered many stares throughout his career, and what Greninja gave were barely worth mention. Weavel knew what caused this, feeling even more resentment toward the hand that caused such resistance.

"Whatcha think ya doin' toad, "Dedede hollered, gripping his mallet with both hands.

"My guess is our little friend doesn't like space pirates too much, "Weavel muttered with a light tone. "What, you want this? Sorry rookie, but i'm a pirate for a reason. Besides, something tells me that you're not ready for what's on the other side."

"Oh give him a break, will ya, "Escargoon interrupted, slithering beside Greninja. "He ain't nothing bad compared to the freakshows he works with daily. A mercenary with some manners and good taste in how he gets the job done is just what employers look for nowadays! He came here with the intent on looking after these people, and he still needs to! What you two do on your own time is not our concern, but pay him enough respect to see this through to the end!"

"I agree! I'm paid to be a guard. Long as you keep that blade of yours directed at the bandits, you won't have to deal with my own. And really, think about it! I would've kill you in your sleep if I was such a big threat. Now since I know more about Varasla, it be good for everybody if I held onto this. I'll even let you keep the crystal you're hiding in that hand. What say you?"

Greninja thought the suggestion were ludacris! Every space pirate he encountered threatened himself, and apparently all of existence. Nothing good would come from this deal, but could Greninja really risk his own crystal for just beliefs? Weavel won't just sit idly by as he constantly pesters the cyborg with hostile intent. If Greninja were to be bested, he lose both gifts. With that in mind, Greninja begrudgingly complied. With that in mind, Greninja eased the katana off Weavel. Keeping to his word, Weavel deactivated his blade as well. Weavel nodded to Greninja, even when the pokemon clearly didn't approve of the agreement. Greninja's sharp gaze never left Weavel who walked passed him, gripping the crystal with all his might. Greninja kneeled beside the boy, holding up his head. His pulse was steady, but an intense headache must've been rampaging within him.

It wasn't too hard to believe that the shinobi would act so wild to break his chains with a monstrosity claded in metal marching for him. Weavel grabbed the man's chains with a single hand, having Greninja go wide eyed with the human's entire body being suspended in the air so easily. The shinobi grew pale having his entire view consumed by Weavel's blinding visor.

"I always wondered how you primitives got your hands on master crystals, now it makes complete sense! Making deals with Crazy of all people, tsk tsk tsk, what a guaranteed way to make some enemies! Perhaps I should send you back to your buddies in Valm in a handbasket as a warning!"

"Va…..Valm, "The shinobi whispered, giving the pirate a confused stare.

"Oh, so your group isn't in Valm? Ylisse, Plegia perhaps?!"

"I…...I don't know what you're going on about!"

"Testing my patience already? What a brave man you are!"

"Just tell us what we want, peasant, "Escargoon sneered, moving beside Weavel. He shot a finger at the squirming human. "If it ain't one of those three superpowers, then where you ha….wait…."

The snail squinted his eyes at the shinobi's attire before giving a quick glance over to Greninja. He waved toward Dedede.

"Sire, come here for a sec."

Dedede started walking over, stroking his chin as he got closer. For whatever reason, the king ceased, glaring back at Greninja and the human several times.

"You see it, sire, "The snail asked.

"Ya, somethin' fishy goin' on here! He lookin' like that dere pokemon, "Dedede rushed for the human, holding his mallet near the shinobi's face. "What ya playin' at? Who are ya supposed to be?!"

"I have nothing to say to you!"

"We don't want your kids or gold, you fool, "Weavel commented. "We're just asking for your occupation!"

"Hmph, i'm a ninja…..from a fallen kingdom! Satisfied?!"

The three just looked at each other, and their stressed expressions spoke volumes of their displeasure. Escargoon tapped Weavel's waist.

"We…..Weavel, how about…"

"I know, "Weavel muttered with such an emotionless tone, Greninja's protective impulse almost had him move. Weavel swiftly held the man over the edge. Soon as the human's eyes met the ground moving too quickly to process, desperate hollers flew from his mouth. His feet frantically moved in all directions, hoping to meet ground that were way beyond him.

"DASTARDS! I DID AS YOU ASKED!"

"Yup, he's from medieval times alright, "Said Weavel. "But really…...really, a ninja. A NINJA! What kind of idiots do you take us for? Ninjas don't exist in any of those kingdoms!"

"WAIT…...WAIT, I TRULY AM WHAT I CLAIM, "He let out a yelp as he watched Weavel's grip lighten a little. "I'M TELLING YOU THE TRUTH!"

"AND I'M TELLING YOU THAT NINJAS DON'T FREAKING EXIST IN THAT WORLD! SO YOU'D BETTER COME UP WITH A BETTER LIE, OR YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M JUST ENDING THIS NOW!"

"HOSHIDO!"

Soon as that name hit Weavel, he threw the man back onto the train. The three encircled the man gasping for air. The man looked up to Weavel with sweat rushing down his head. Weavel kneeled over the man. A sharp hiss from the pirate's now active blade froze the shinobi stiff.

"Hoshido, that doesn't exist ei….."

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT WORLD YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT IT AIN'T IT IF HOSHIDO ISN'T THERE, "The man hollered. Dedede gripped onto Weavel's arm. The king shook his head at Weavel, and he immediately understood the king's intent. The blade deactivated and all eyes rested on the human once more. "Look, that dastard Crazy gave us an opportunity to regain what we lost. So some of my people joined up with a gang of bandits and we all did whatever we were told. In exchange, we got crystals, metalloids, gold, you name it. These crystals led here, and we've been hitting the trains ever since."

"Oh, so now we hate Crazy? At least you came to your senses before meeting us. How about being sane enough to call off these raids!"

"It doesn't matter now, "The shinobi whispered.

"Beg your pardon?"

"I SAID IT DOESN'T MATTER! THEY'RE ALL GOOD AS DEAD! THAT DASTARD IS GOING TO WIPE THE WHOLE LOT OF THEM OUT, AND THAT DAMN FROG IS THE CAUSE OF IT!"

"The cau…..Greninja, "Weavel and his employers gave widened stares to Greninja who couldn't return the gaze, closing his eyes from the world from lingering guilt. Spontaneous, desperate shifts and turns from the binded human caught their attention. The human directed his terrified expression behind himself. "What is it?"

"Soo…..something's behind me!"

It wasn't so obvious before, but a form of hissing was being emitted from behind the shinobi. Taking a peek to his backside revealed a sight that had Weavel jump to his feet. Energy of Varasla was somehow operating within their realm, gathering upon the chains in the form of a piece of white paper. Fleeting energy went up in smoke upon completion, and left the trio petrified. Weavel were the first to reach for it, leaving Dedede and Escargoon to stare at him. The paper came clean off, and held words on the other side.

"Its…..a note…...from Crazy, "Weavel said, holding back his trembling hands from tearing it to shreds."

"WELL, WHAT IT SAY, "Dedede hollered.

"Hmph, well I be damned. The human was telling the truth, "Weavel turned to Dedede. "There isn't going to be a raid attempt."

"Then…...that means, "Soon as the king's eyes fell upon the pokemon, he broke out in a laughing fit. This was the happiest Greninja had seen Dedede. "First day on da job, and ya went and stopped the peasants completely. Ya needed Crazy to do all this, but I ain't gonna knock on ya accomplishment. Glad da big head still got some good eyes. Guess ya ain't needed now, but i'll still pay ya Weavel."

"Forget the payment! I'll take this crystal and say we're square."

"If ya say so, but we still got business to discuss!"

"You mean this…...Hoshido?"

"Ya know I can't leave that hangin'. Tim been dealin' with fools from that Hoshido place. Nothin' but trouble if ya ask me."

"Hmmm, well Hoshido must be during humanities early development. I don't know much about ninjas, so I can't tell you much else."

"Then leave this fool to me, "Dedede lifted the man by the chains with a single hand. "Can't trust your folk with keepin' humans alive anyway, so i'll lock him up nice and tight until I got a big bowl of info. And if ya nice, i'll make it comfortable for ya."

"Excuse me, "Escargoon intervened. "There might be a good chance one of those crystals lead there."

"I was just thinking that, "Weavel commented, glaring at Greninja. "Question is, which one is the right one? There are two, and I doubt they lead to the same place."

"Only one way to find out."

"Hmmm, not sure about this. You know what happens to master crystals in unconnected worlds, and these will have to recharge. We'll be stuck there for some time, that is if we even end up in Hoshido."

"Then have your pirates investigate that crystal, the Chasers will look into whatever that frog has, and we'll learn what we can from this peasant. Sound good?"

"Wise. I'll contact you later and discuss our findings.

"GRENINJA, "A soundous voice didn't strike their ears, but echoed throughout their heads. They all had the same name in mind, and their thoughts were confirmed when a figure leapt from the grassy fields onto their cart. It were Lucario, and as always, gave a hostile glare at Greninja. "Having to run after a train to get you, unbelievable! What were you doing? Gardevoir was trying to form a connection with you and couldn't even sense your presence! Were you purposely closing yourself off from her?!"

"Now why would I do that, "Greninja sneered.

"You tell me, "Lucario glanced over to the trio on the other side, stopping dead on Weavel who were now acting just as cautious. "Well now, it would do me well to get a nice little bonus!"

"On that, we're agreed, "Weavel growls vented out in echoes, hovering his hand over a pistol. "You tend to your business, and i'll attend to my own. As Gardevoir would say…...do it for the people!"

"How fortunate that she's not here, "Lucario never lifted his gaze from the pirate, and deep seeded hatred vented out in the form of a dense, dark blue aura. No doubt a Chaser would recognize a mercenary like Weavel, and their fight would no doubt be fierce. Much as Greninja wanted to see Weavel defeat, Gardevoir's concern held greater priority.

"I'm pretty sure if she wanted to check on me, she would've came herself. Something else is going on, so just spill it out."

With a heavy exhale, he begrudgingly faced the frog, "Apparently, something big enough to where she's calling all of us, even she was in a hurry. We're meeting up in Ylisse she said."


End file.
